


Signs and Portents- Coruscant and Korriban

by Charms7116



Series: Signs and Portents- a Rik and Ren/ Star Wars Crossover. [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game), Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Before the Clone Wars, Coruscant, Gen, Grey Jedi, Inspired by Star Wars, Jedi, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Korriban, Original Characters - Freeform, Original Story - Freeform, Sith, The Jedi Order
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 39,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charms7116/pseuds/Charms7116
Summary: My Friend skekMal gave me the idea for this crossover around two years ago now and more than likely have forgotten that they have, well I finally finished it, so I dedicate this you skekMal. So, I hope you enjoy the finished story (just will take some days to fully upload seeing it ended up been 120 pages long!)It came out of a conversation what would happen if my two Characters Rik and Ren were to end up in the Star Wars universe around the Clone Wars era and were to meet several of the characters from there and shared an adventure with them?It was an interesting experiment and there maybe one or two other stories attached to it as well.Rik and Ren and their crew end up just before the Clone Wars in the Star Wars universe and get involved in a retrieving an artefact from Korriban, accompanied by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker (before he fell and became Darth Vader).This was something I haven't attempted before so some feedback would be appreciated!
Series: Signs and Portents- a Rik and Ren/ Star Wars Crossover. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115858
Comments: 12
Kudos: 6





	1. Coruscant- The Jedi Temple

**Author's Note:**

  * For [skekMal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/skekMal/gifts).



**This is Taken just before the Movie 'The Clone Wars' and is pure fanfiction that came out of a conversation I was having with a friend.**

“ **_D_** _isagree I do, Dark Side is strong there, too risky it is_ ” Master Yoda was heard saying as Obi-Wan and Anakin approached the Council chamber in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, followed by the two strangers whom he and Anakin had found on a routine mission when a stray shot had downed the stranger's ship, it was easily fixed, and no one had been injured, but, the two strangers and their crew had been grateful for their help.  
  
**E** specially seeing they had no idea where there were! Although oddly enough three of them were Jedi or at least Force Adepts! They knew Force powers and appeared to be well trained in its use, and they weren’t Sith! They didn’t even seem to know what they were!  
  
They guessed that they weren’t from a Republic World, which would make sense.  
  
The two owners of the ship were it appeared brothers although they were _two_ different races! They also appeared to be well trained in the Force and healing ways and had an apprentice themselves, a young girl, of some unknown race.  
  
Two of the ship members were human, and they seemed to know who they were, and it had been them who had vouched for the rest of the Crew, who were all aliens.  
  
Ren, the Captain of the ship It seemed, frowned at the voices from the council and said, “what are they talking about?” he was tall, lean, and looked Saurian/Feline with red-brown hair and blue eyes, and had noticeable blue markings on his brow and what looked like a small crest which included a pair of ‘ _almost horns_ ’ on his head which was hidden mostly under his long red hair and topknot.  
  
He dressed soberly and neither Jedi nor Sith in grey robes and carried a double-bladed blue lightsabre and a single-bladed one.  
  
His brother Rik had been a little more of a concern at first, seeing he was dressed in a long black coat, carried two red, customised Lightsabres, and a blaster on his belt.  
  
He was more Avian looking with blue and grey feathers.  
  
He had long red hair like his brother, blue eyes as well, and more obvious blue markings, both brothers had tails, and both were Saurian looking.  
  
“I still can’t believe they still haven’t found someone to go find those Artefacts,” said Anakin Skywalker.  
  
He was Obi-Wan’s Apprentice, a young human man of about 16 or 17 or 18, strong in the Force and although he seemed nice enough, Ren sensed that there was something about him, something intense, “why don’t they send us Master?”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “trust in the Councils Judgment Anakin, I have already offered, and they think it is too dangerous”.  
  
Anakin sighed “typical! We can’t just leave them there, though!”  
  
Ren asked then “what’s wrong?”  
  
Obi-Wan and Anakin looked at him then, they had been surprised when they had found the brothers that they could understand them, but, Ren had said it was either the ship that allowed them to understand each other, due to her been Telepathic or the fact that his people the Corran had an inbuilt universal translator as part of their natural abilities or both so even though Ren spoke with a slight accent his words came out as standard.  
  
Obi-Wan seemed a little reluctant to answer them, so Anakin said: “some ancient Artefact was found in Old Sith Space, and the Council have been arguing for days over who to send in after it”.  
  
“Anakin,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“Sith…that’s the enemies of your Order isn’t it?’ Ren asked, “I’ve heard River mention them once or twice…her and Kimmie I think they're from your universe, only I don’t know what time they’re from the future or the past”.  
  
Obi-Wan and Anakin looked at them both, “you don’t know, do you?” Obi-Wan said, “where are you from?”  
  
“Saris 4,” Ren said.  
  
“Never heard of it, I’m guessing you aren’t a Republic world,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“We aren’t even from this universe I think,” said Ren “but these artefacts why are they having trouble getting someone to go in after them?”  
  
“They are in Old Sith Space…” said Anakin then.  
  
“Who are the enemies to your people,” Ren said, “makes sense…. risky”.  
  
“They're on Korriban,” said Obi-Wan, realising that Anakin wasn’t going to let it drop, he seemed to have bonded with the two newcomers.  
  
“Korriban?” said Ren.  
  
“Old Sith space,” said Obi-Wan “that’s deep in Old Sith Territory, it is the ancient home world of the Sith, it is dangerous for _anyone_ to go there, especially us”.  
  
“Arh I see…” Ren said, “how about us, then?”  
  
“ _You_?” said Obi-Wan.  
  
Ren said, “we have our ship and crew, and we aren’t natives to your universe”.  
  
“You don’t understand….” Said Obi-Wan.  
  
Ren said, “we’re from a universe that is currently in the middle of an interdimensional war, Master Kenobi, believe me, we can handle something like this…Rik and I don’t fly an armoured freighter for nothing you know… we’ve been in enemy territory before, helping the Resistance for the Alliance”.  
  
“The Alliance?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“Council of Allied Worlds also known as CAW,” Ren said.  
  
“You mean like the Republic? “Anakin asked.  
  
“Assuming so,” said Ren “we aren’t from here as I said so I’m guessing you mean something similar, the Jedaini are a vital part of it. but they still consider us civilians, especially the military.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“The Adepts of the Way or simply The Adept Order, to give it, it's proper name…we’re kind of like you, I think, _Jedaini_ is a term that was coined for us, and well it fell into popular usage, perhaps someone from _**your**_ universe coined it when they ended up in ours, the Order itself has been around for centuries though,” Ren said, “maybe we could get these artefacts?”.  
  
Anakin and his Master looked at each other and Anakin said: “it’s a thought Master”.  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head “the Council they would never agree to it, they don’t belong in this universe, and are strangers the Council would not trust them and given the issues they have with me, they would never agree to it”.  
  
“ _Issues_?” Ren asked.  
  
“The Council they don’t fully agree with my decision on taking Anakin on as an Apprentice” he replied.  
  
“Why?” Ren asked.  
  
“It’s complicated” he replied.  
  
“They think you too young and not yet ready?” Ren asked “believe me; we can understand that your met Kayla, haven’t you? _Our_ Apprentice? Rik and I haven’t yet earnt the right or have the experience to take on an Apprentice, yet the order assigned one. Most of our friends also think we are too young and inexperienced even to _have_ our ship! **And** crew!” he paused “think of it as a Journey you can share and complete _together!_ That is how we look at it….”  
  
“No, it is more complicated than that,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“It always is,” said Ren with a chuckle “ok very well”.  
  
Obi-Wan had to admit, he too had grown to like Rik and Ren despite the brief time he had known them, especially Ren, who had a wisdom beyond his years.  
  
He said that he and Rik were young by their people's standards, not yet two hundred years old, they were around 130, or so he said.  
  
“We will present your offer to the Council though” Obi-Wan decided then “but I can’t guarantee success” and opened the door to the Jedi Council and went in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brothers are introduced to Mace Windu and Master Yoda

**M** aster Yoda was in mid-conversation with Master Mace Windu as Obi-Wan and Anakin entered.

  
Several eyes all turned to them at once, and to the two strangers with them.  
  
Rik and Ren tried to look suitably Jedi, Rik with less success than Ren did, and Ren was glad they hadn’t bought Kayla with them, he could imagine Kayla’s reaction! And he couldn’t stop a slight smile from forming as he thought of it, Kayla was a former street waif.   
  
Although some years of discipline and training by the Academy had tamed her, there was still some of the street kid left in Kayla and always would be.  
  
Master Yoda was the first to speak “Obi-Wan? who is this, brought before us you have?”  
  
Rik and Ren felt themselves fall under several scrutinous eyes, especially Yoda and a dark-skinned human man.  
  
Ren dropped his shields and bid Rik do the same.  
  
** _I feel naked without them_! ** Rik complained telepathically but did so.  
  
** _They do not know us_ ** said Ren _** it is a way of earning their trust or at least their acceptance!_ **  
  
** _I know, but you_ _know_ _as well as me, how vulnerable a Healer is without their shields_ ** Rik said.  
  
** _I know_ ** said Ren ** _that is why I am willing to do so…to show that we are trustworthy and that we are eager to drop our shields**.  
  
_ * _*Point_ ** said Rik, more combat-oriented than Ren was, he might be, but like Ren, he was _also_ a Healer! And like any Healer, he and Ren kept themselves well shielded.  
  
It was Master Yoda who spoke to them first “you, do not come from here yes, elsewhere you come from”.  
  
Ren said, “no, we do not come from here, Master”.  
  
Master Yoda continued “Healer you are, yes?”  
  
Ren nodded “yes, and may my brother and I have permission to put our shields back up? It can get a little um, _uncomfortable_ after a while with them down”.  
  
Master Yoda spoke again “you may honour you show to us”.  
  
“Thank you,” Ren said and did so, rubbing his temples a little.  
  
“You are not Jedi,” said a female Master “but _nor_ are you Sith, you do not come from here”.  
  
Ren said, “we’re strangers to your universe Master, but yes we are of an Order like your own” he sighed “alternate universe perhaps, I don’t know, from the future even, maybe, but we mean no harm”.  
  
Yoda nodded “Obi-Wan are they then the strangers you spoke of?” he asked him.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “yes Master Yoda”.  
  
Yoda nodded “Who be you?” he asked Rik and Ren.  
  
Ren said, “my name is Ren, and this is my brother Rik, we are Knights of the Adept Order, and as you surmised, we are also Healers…. Master Kenobi found us when our ship got hit, and we were forced to land”.  
  
“Taris,” said Obi-Wan, “their ship took a stray shot from a Separatist”.  
  
“Noone was hurt, and the damage easily fixed thankfully, but we do owe Master Kenobi our thanks” added Rik “especially seeing he explained it all to us”.  
  
“I see,” said the dark-skinned human.  
  
Ren said “I know we are strangers to your world, but we were told that you needed some help regarding some artefacts, which have ended up in the enemy territory, and we're having trouble finding someone to go after them… may I be so bold to volunteer myself and Rik and our ship to go after them? It is doing stuff like that we are good at; we fly an armoured freighter. We have helped many a person in enemy territory…our own world is also currently at war…”.  
  
“Who told you that?” the dark-skinned man asked.  
  
“I did,” Obi-Wan said, taking responsibility for his Padawan.  
  
“No,” said Yoda then “go you do not” this was told to Rik and Ren.  
  
“Why?” said Ren “ I understand that you do not know us because we are strangers to this world, but it seems to me that you need someone to do it and can’t decide on whom to send”.  
  
“Too dangerous it is,” Yoda said, “to those who do not belong here”.  
  
“Why so willing to risk your lives for us?” the dark-skinned man asked.  
  
Rik said, “it’s what Ren and I do best, as he said, we have a ship and a crew, we have gone into enemy space before…. well at least in our universe, also as I said we do owe Master Kenobi our thanks”.  
  
“Too dangerous it is!” Yoda insisted “Dark side is strong! You will not survive; have no protection or knowledge of the Dark Side you have”.  
  
“We could go with them….” Obi-Wan offered then “Anakin and me”.  
  
“No,” said Yoda.  
  
“Or one of you could go with us….” Ren said “where we come from there is a mandate of our Order, there is no Light or Dark Side there is only the Way…. which you call the Force I believe, but how you choose to use it, is entirely up to you, that is where we   
differ, I think. Philosophy is similar but not the same, here I’ll show you”, and without another word, Ren concentrated and made Rik float off the ground.  
  
“Ooy!” Rik said, “Ren! Let me know **before** you do that!”.  
  
Ren shrugged and said, “wouldn’t have worked that way, you would have resisted….”  
  
**T** o say the least, the Council was shocked at Ren’s display, Yoda frowned, as did Mace Windu and the others looked stunned, Obi-Wan also frowned but Anakin allowed himself a slight smile.  
  
“ ** _Geez_**!” said Rik then “don’t tell me that you too disapprove of playing a little around with the Way or the Force or whatever! Oh, I _get_ it! That is against your philosophy, Dark Side thinking, Well, whatever!”  
  
Ren sighed and said, “I apologise, this is not our universe, and we may not always agree on philosophies, but the point is, Rik and I are willing to offer our ship and our crew to get your artefacts for you they are obviously of some importance and doing stuff like this is what we’re good at”.  
  
Mace Windu said, “are you then smugglers?”  
  
“Us! Hells no! I **resent** that comment! We aren’t Smugglers or Bounty Hunters!” Rik said Ren frowned at his brother wishing he’d show a little more decorum, but Rik continued “Ren, and I run… jobs for folks, occasionally it might be considered smuggling in some circles. But it is _always_ for a worthy cause. There is a war on in our universe, and we often run supplies and goods for the Resistance or the Alliance or rescue someone or bring them to Justice or do stuff like that. Or run diplomatic missions for the Order or the Alliance. My brother is the best damn pilot of a starship, I _know_! We have a simply amazing crew not to mention an _amazing_ ship!”  
  
Anakin spoke then “excuse my interruptions Master’s, but Master Rik and Master Ren are correct, you haven’t seen their ship!”  
  
“Anakin,” said Obi-Wan quietly.  
  
“You have no protection or knowledge of the Sith or what they are capable of,” said Mace Windu then “I agree with Master Yoda it is too dangerous for two strangers to our world to do”.  
  
“That is why I suggest we send someone with them,” said Obi-Wan then “you have been discussing this for days, and still haven’t found a conclusion, or an option, this is why I bought them before you today…They are willing to do it; they are willing to risk their lives for us, and that is why I suggest that you _let_ Anakin and I go with them”.  
  
“They do not know our ways,” Mace Windu said.  
  
“No, they don’t” Obi-Wan agreed, “and in that case, it may be an advantage for us, they will not be recognised as Jedi, all I ask is that you consider it”.  
  
“Do you expect payment for this?” Mace Windu asked Rik and Ren then.  
  
Rik said, “normally we…”.  
  
Ren cut him off “no payment is required Master Windu, save maybe some information on what we are looking for and what to expect…”.  
  
Rik said, “I was _going_ to say that!” he frowned at his brother.  
  
Ren looked at him “no you _weren’t_ ” he turned to the Council “I apologise for Rik, but he is right we normally do take payment to do such things but not so much for greed or personal gain, more as payment towards our ship and crew. We’re, err, still paying our ship off, but no we are not looking for a reward of any kind”.  
  
“Kaldor isn’t going to like that…” said Rik.  
  
Ren said, “Kaldor can _deal_ with it… he is too mercenary as it is sometimes, good heart and a loyal friend but yes he does tend to be a little too mercenary at times not that we can blame him”.  
  
“He’s a soldier!” said Rik.  
  
Ren said “as Master Kenobi says we ask that you consider our offer. We aren’t looking for a monetary reward but would appreciate some information if you decide to grant us our request.”  
  
“Very well,” said Mace Windu “we will consider it, Master Kenobi would you please remain with us while we discuss this, we shall value your input, Anakin you can wait with your two guests”.  
  
“Very Well,” said Obi-Wan “that is all I ask” as Anakin led both Rik and Ren outside the doors to wait.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brothers await the Jedi Council's decision.

**O** nce outside, Rik leaned up against the wall and pulled an apple out of his robes, rubbed it and then took a bite it made a satisfying crunch.  
  
Ren looked around the Temple and joined Rik folding his arms in his robes trying to look suitably Jedi “so formal” Ren said.  
  
“How long you think they’ll be?” Rik asked Anakin “ and why don’t they fully approve of you and Obi-Wan?”  
  
Anakin looked at them “you sensed that?” he asked.  
  
Rik waved a taloned hand “ despite what people think, I ‘m a Healer and am Empathic, maybe not as much as Ren is, but yeah, I sensed that”.  
  
“We both do” Ren added.  
  
Anakin said, “ long story”.  
  
Ren said “ Ok” he shrugged.  
  
Anakin said, “ what you did in there didn’t go down so well with the Council….they may not agree to this”.  
  
“ _Meh_! Ren and I fool around like that all the time!” Rik said, “Oughta see it when we argue, things _really_ start flying around then!”   
  
“I couldn’t help but find it amusing though,” said Anakin “Master Kenobi always tells me not to do that “.  
  
Ren chuckled “yes, well….”.  
  
Anakin said, “your twins, aren’t you? Somehow, your twins”.  
  
Rik said, “closer than that actually, and no we aren’t lovers…. Ren and I, we were…”.  
  
“One being once, Rikren,” said Ren, “ one being split in two, we’re of a near-extinct and largely unknown Elder race called the Corran, who are well, basically Celestial Beings, but a small amount of the population had a defect, a mutation even, that can cause them to be split into two beings if the circumstances prove right. _Rikren_ , well he had that mutation and had an accident that should have killed him, _us_ , but didn’t; instead, we got split into two. We became what is known as a Corran Pair. Our condition is permanent. We are unable to be reunited. One again, we share a portion of each other’s soul but have developed into two distinct individuals, Rik and Ren. Still, we were a Healer’s Apprentice and thus _remained_ a Healer. So, we are closer than twins in many ways, but that is the closest thing to what we are. We have an empathic bond with one another and sometimes act as a feedback loop to one another”.  
  
Rik nodded “hurt like nothing else, and we almost killed one another when it first happened, thank goodness, Ren turned out the level-headed one”.  
  
“Serious?” Anakin asked.  
  
“Yes, we were confused, did not recognise one another, and started to chuck newly awakened powers at one another before we realised what had happened,” said Ren “ **not** our finest hour….but a valuable lesson to us both” he looked out of the window at the skyline of Coruscant “this place reminds me of home, Saris 4, is a Moon that has a big city on it as well”.  
  
“I came from Tatooine, and it’s just a big desert,” said Anakin, looking out of the window himself.  
  
Ren nodded “ so do our two crewmembers River and Kimmie I think” he turned to Anakin, “want a bit of advice from a stranger?”  
  
Anakin looked at him, not sure what to say” Pardon?”  
  
“Remember always to be true to your heart,” Ren said, “ I sense a bit of sadness perhaps in you, maybe a bit of resentment even, but don’t let it twist you and at the risk of sounding like a Jadaini Master, which I suck at, by the way, remember who you were but don’t let it hold you back from becoming what you are now.” He paused “do yourself and your Master Proud”.  
  
Anakin was about to reply when the council door opened, and Obi-Wan spoke: “the Council have decided”.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Council makes their decision.

“ **W** hat is the decision, Master?” Anakin asked.  
  
“The council wish to see **_all_** of us,” Obi-Wan said.  
  
Nodding they all followed him back in, Rik and Ren trying to look suitably Jedi, not to mention humble seeing they were strangers here, but modest wasn’t in Rik’s nature.  
  
“You wished to see us?” Ren said, “honoured Council Members”.  
  
Mace Windu was the first to speak, “after much discussion it has been decided that we will allow you to go on this mission for the Council, under one condition”.  
  
“And that is?” Rik asked, leaning up against the wall and finishing his apple.  
  
** _Rik_ some _**decorum**! This_ _isn’t_ _our universe! And they are much more formal here!_ ** Ren scolded his brother on their private link that no-one had ever been able to get into.  
  
** _Meh! their too formal and all so ‘ **mystical** ’ anyway_** Rik replied in kind.  
  
Ren sighed and rolled his eyes and said, “ I thank you for considering our request honoured members of the council” and bowed “ and we, of course, will consent to any conditions you put on us”.  
  
Mace looked at the two of them, he like the rest of the Council had no idea what to think about the two strangers, they were quite unlike anyone he had ever _met_!  
  
“Too dangerous it is,” Yoda said ‘ my feelings, still stand they do”.  
  
Mace said, “ It has been decided via a vote that you are allowed to carry out this mission for us, but there is a condition we are placing on you”.  
  
“Fair enough,” said Ren “I can understand why”.  
  
“The condition is that Master Kenobi and Anakin go with you,” said Mace Windu “you are new to this world and will have no protection against the Sith, or will possibly even recognise one when you see one. The artefact is in Old Sith Space”.  
  
Ren said “fair enough…that is acceptable, welcomed even! I do have one request, in turn, though…can we take _our_ ship?”  
  
The council looked at one another, and then Mace said, “very well you may take your ship”.  
  
Ren nodded “ thanks, we have our crew and all, so you don’t have to send any extra personnel along with us, and we would very much welcome Master Kenobi and his Padawan along, he might even be able to teach _ours,_ something!”  
  
“You have a Padawan?” one of the other Council members, a woman, asked.  
  
Ren said, “ yes. We do, we probably haven’t earnt the right to it, but we were assigned one regardless. She’s a Healer like us”.  
  
“Too dangerous it is, for a _new_ Padawan,” said Yoda.  
  
Anakin said “um?”  
  
“You are _experienced_ Anakin…” said Mace.  
  
Ren said “Kayla, she’s a smart girl, she knows what she can and cannot do, and believe me, she’s also been a war zone and has fought alongside us in some battles. I understand and appreciate your concern, Master Yoda. I am touched by the fact that you are concerned about our Padawan, but believe me, Kayla like young Anakin here is a young Adept in training, and she will be fine. Knowing Kayla, she’ll see it as rather an _adventure_!”  
  
Obi-Wan said “ someone your own age Anakin”.  
  
“She’s 13,” said Ren “by the standards of her people…she’s a little older than that in years though”.  
  
Anakin looked thoughtful but didn’t say anything and merely stood beside his own Master.  
  
** _Kids already in love_ ** Ren said to Rik ** _or almost is not sure if his Master knows_ _it though or even if he does fully…yet Mmm. I sense, perhaps_ disapproval **  
  
** _Geez Ren I hate it when you go all Jedaini_! ** Rik said ** _but your right, I’m getting that_ _too_ **.  
  
** _Dangerous, or at least so in this universe_ ** said Ren, he then nodded and bowed “I thank you, masters, for this opportunity you have presented us”.  
  
Mace Windu said, “ Master Kenobi I am putting you in charge of this mission our two young friends are strangers to this universe and will need to be warned of the Sith and of what they are capable of”.  
  
“I will do so, Master Windu,” said Obi-Wan with a bow.  
  
Ren said, “maybe you could send us perhaps some information on the Sith so we can **become** informed….”.  
  
“Done,” said Master Yoda.  
  
“Thank you,” Ren said, he turned to all the Masters and bowed once again “ we will not let you down Masters, even if strangers we are”.  
  
They all nodded and then after a while they all left the Chambers.  
  
Obi-wan said: “I’m surprised they agreed to it, they have been reluctant to send any of the Jedi to get them, especially Anakin and I….”.  
  
Ren said “ wonder what made them change their mind then? You must forgive us, Master Kenobi, as I said we are strangers here and do not know all the customs”, Ren sighed and rubbed his forehead, Anakin and Obi-Wan both saw that he had a crest hidden under his hair which included small vestigial horns.  
  
“Where you docked?” Anakin asked then.  
  
Ren said “here” he handed him their hanger number “it’s the dark pink and gold ship, you can’t miss her really, it’s a lightly armoured Freighter. Meet us there, hope you don’t mind sharing quarters, we’re kind of full and only have the passenger quarters empty”.  
  
“That is acceptable, “said Obi-Wan with a nod. “ok,” said Rik.


	5. Coruscant Space Docks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin report to the Serendipity and get introduced to Sera and the Crew

**A** while later, Anakin and Obi-Wan reported to where the Serendipity was docked.  
  
They’d seen the ship before, but, they hadn’t gotten a good look at it.  
  
The ship was as the brothers had said a Freighter primarily, but, it had light armour on it and shields and could hold its own in a fight, it was almost a Corvette.  
  
Anakin admired it’s style and thought to himself if he ever got a ship like that, it would be the type of thing he would like.  
  
The ships' colouring was a deep pink almost red and gold and even parked it had a faint glow.  
  
The brothers had called it a ‘ _Sunrise’_ and said that it had been built for members of the Adept Order (which both Obi-Wan and Anakin assumed was their version of the Jedi Order) the ship was sentient, was Psionically sensitive and looking at it, they could see it had, had some action in the past.  
  
Anakin thought it beautiful and wondered if either of the brothers would let him have a go at flying it.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed “I hate flying” he groaned.  
  
Anakin looked around the ship “this is beautiful, don’t you think Master?” he asked, “ wonder if the brothers will let me have a go at flying it?”  
  
“Glad you approve,” said a voice as Rik joined them, he smiled at Anakin “ Ren and I, scored it lucky when we found her, she was meant for us I feel, her name is _Sera_ ”.  
  
“I assume you mean your ships droid?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“No, the ships AI, who is so much more than just an AI, Sera, she is the ship” he nodded towards it “ you’ll get to meet her, Ren’s not here at the moment, we were given access to your Archives so we could get some knowledge on the Sith, so he went to do some research, he’ll be a while, Ren _loves_ research! And is much better at it than I, so I tend to let him do it, so I’ll give you access to come aboard” he went to a panel by the door and said, “Sera allow Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin….?”  
  
“Skywalker,” Anakin said.  
  
“Anakin Skywalker aboard, they accompany us on this mission and need access”, Rik said.  
  
“ _How much access_?” a female voice said startling them all.  
  
Rik thought about it and then replied: “give them both full access, they may need it”.  
  
“ _Very well, Captain Rik,_ ” said the voice “ _they will need to touch the keypad so they can be recognised._ ”  
  
Rik nodded and held out a device “ put one of your hands and say your name on this so that Sera will recognise you” he said, “Sera recognises you by fingerprints, voice, or retina scan”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and did so “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” he said, bidding Anakin do the same.  
  
Once that was done the voice said “ _welcome aboard Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker, I am Sera, the ships AI_ , _welcome aboard the Serendipity, anything you require just ask me or Saffy, the Ships Hostess droid, I see you have your droid as well”,_ and scanned their Astromech Droid as well his name was R2-D2.  
  
“Uh yeah,” said Rik “err didn’t see him”.  
  
**O** nce that was done Rik led their guests onto the ship, Anakin looked around in awe; he wanted to know more about the ship, Rik said “I’ll give you the tour, ship crews ten, and two passengers, although I’ve given you both full access to the ship's systems, in case you need it, we’re currently at full capacity with you two as well, there is us, our crew, four droids, five if you count yours and Sera, “ he indicated a room “that’s the passenger quarters, you’ll have to share, so I hope you don’t mind, the bathroom is communal as well,” he led them through, “engines” and waved to an odd-looking alien who looked a little like a turtle standing on his hind legs who was working on something”.  
  
“Hi Tee, where’s Kimmie?” he asked.  
  
“Out, getting supplies “ the alien replied, he spoke slowly with an odd pause between words.  
  
“Tee-Ryki, one of our crew, he works on our AI and that and assists Kimmie our engineer, Tee this is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Apprentice Anakin Skywalker”.  
  
“We tend to use _Padawan_ ” Obi-Wan remarked.  
  
Rik said “ once again, different philosophies, we tend to use _Apprentice_ ourselves, “ he bade them follow him again and pointed out various locations on the ship, “workroom, Recreation room, galley, crew quarters, meditation chamber, storage, armoury, Medlab, main Holds down that way, it’s currently empty, so if you want to practise that’s the best place to do it, it’s what we all do, Kaldor even has some targets set up there, there’s also the converted aft hold where my starfighter is parked, escape pod, turrets access, communal bathroom, that’s about it….” he opened some doors “, and this is…”.  
  
“The Flight deck!” said Anakin.  
  
“Yep,” said Rik.  
  
Anakin stepped onto the Flight Deck “what’s your weapons like?” he asked.  
  
“ _Anakin_ ,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
Rik seemed unphased by the question “two small front turrets, and the back one, it’s our most powerful weapon, so we tend to be sparing on using it as it drains the ship somewhat, we have multiphasic shielding, lightly armoured and standard phaser banks, are capable of what you call Hyperspace, but we aren’t technically a warship, we’re a Hybrid Freighter, the battleships you have could quite easily take us out if they hit us hard enough. But we are fast and manoeuvrable especially with Ren at the helm, whose an amazing pilot on stuff like this. He’s too slow to fly a starfighter but, a shuttle and a small ship like this, he’s simply brilliant! I’m the one who flies a Starfighter”.  
  
“You fly a starfighter?” Anakin asked then.  
  
“Yes, it’s parked in the converted hold, it’s only a **little** one, but it’s mine” he paused and continued “ we were lucky when we got the ship that it had already had been converted for a small shuttle, or a small fighter, we have to fold the wings down, and it’s a tight fit, but it suffices, we sometimes have to leave it behind to use the space as a small hold.”  
  
Anakin nodded “ could I have a look at it?”  
  
“Sure,” said Rik he smiled at Anakin, “seems your something of a kindred spirit! You love to fly too, huh?”  
  
“ He does,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“So do Ren and me! Ren’s too slow to fly a starfighter, but believe me, put him at the helm of a shuttle or something like this, and he’s simply _brilliant_! You’ll see, why I’ve seen Ren beat some of the best starfighter pilots at their own game flying a runabout! Ren outlasts them all. My starfighter is a juiced-up runabout in many ways. I’ll show it to you later”.  
  
“Master Rik where’s Master Ren?” a feminine voice said, and Obi-Wan and Anakin saw a teenage girl of some unknown yet near-human race come onto the bridge.  
  
She had long blonde hair, slightly slanted blue-green eyes, golden-tanned skin.  
  
She also had pointed ears, a tail and what looked like folded down wings, she was dressed similarly to how most Padawans dressed.  
  
She was followed by a half-grown, white cat with wings, this then, Obi-Wan surmised must be _Ren’s_ Padawan.  
  
“ _Kayla_!” said Rik with a smile, “Ren’s out, he’ll be back soon, I hope, but you know what he’s like when it comes to doing research! He thrives on it and tends to get lost in it, meet our guests on this mission, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker!” he said indicating the two human males with him one older than the other, the younger one wasn’t much older than her, 16 or 17, maybe 18 as humans counted things, the older one seemed to have the same type of aura of serenity about him that Master Ren had and sometimes Master Rik.  
  
Rik said, “ this is our Apprentice Kayla Doonsing, well she’s more Ren’s Apprentice than mine, but technically we’re both responsible for her training because we come as a Pair.”  
  
“Pleased to meet you Padawan,” Obi-Wan said.  
  
Kayla grinned and offered out a hand, it was four-fingered like Rik, and Ren’s were, Obi-Wan took it and shook it, and Anakin did the same.  
  
“Cool!” said Kayla showing her street waif background slightly, something the temple training had never actually been able to train out of her.  
  
“ _Another_ Padawan!” she smiled at Anakin then.  
  
“I’m afraid been stuck on a ship with us, she doesn’t get much of a chance to hang out with people close to her age, the closest to her would be River” Rik apologised, “so having someone close to her age aboard is something of a treat, although I warn you Anakin, expect to be _barraged_ by questions!” he smiled then, “Kayla’s a former street waif Our Temple found her when she was about 7 or 8, living on the streets of Saris with a bunch of other street waif children, having lost her only parent when she was about 4, she was hiding from some of the street gangs that roam the lower levels of Saris”.  
  
“The Temple saved my life,” said Kayla.  
  
Rik nodded “yes, it is probably why we all get along so well, Ren and I, too, were found by the temple, newly separated and confused”.  
  
“Where’s Master Ren?” Kayla asked.  
  
“As I said doing some research, we’ll give you all a briefing when everyone’s here, but to give you the short of it, The Jedaini Temple here has asked us to find something for them, and Master Kenobi and his Apprentice are accompanying and assisting us with its recovery”.  
  
Kayla nodded “ sounds intriguing!” she said.  
  
Rik nodded “yeah, the hardest person to convince is going to be Kaldor….” He sighed “I’ll talk to him, know where he is?”  
  
“In the hold practising shooting,” said Kayla.  
  
“Ok, I’ll talk to him, there are some stipulations he’s not going to like,” said Rik, he turned to Anakin and Obi-Wan “I’ll leave you in Kayla’s capable hands then, Kayla make sure Master Kenobi and his Padawan are made comfortable and explain the usage of the computers and all that…I’ve given them full access as they are accompanying us on this mission so that they may need it, _I’ll_ talk to Kaldor”.  
  
“Rightio Master Rik!” Kayla said her and Rik made a high four, Ren’s Apprentice she maybe more, but she loved Rik too, then turning to their two guests she said “come on I’ll show you the computers and all that” Rik smiled and then sighed and then headed to the Hold to talk to Kaldor.  
  



	6. The Jedi Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren researching late in the Jedi Temple makes a new friend.

**M** eanwhile, Ren had left the Temples libraries with some information on a data crystal which he thought would be useful, (he’d been told he could save some for information and had been given something to put it on) and realised it was later than he thought it was, the Temple here was so quiet and so solemn, nothing like the one back on Saris 4, it was a peaceful place too, granted but there was always something going on.  
  
Ren frowned sensing the darkness in the way. Something was coming. Soon to this universe, something was reaching out, but he couldn’t make it out, probably because it wasn’t his native universe.  
  
“Maybe I’m just a little bit spooked about what I just read…” he said to himself “they hate these … _Sith_ …here” he yawned deciding a long hot shower and his favourite hot drink was in order once he got back to the ship.  
  
Suddenly he heard crying and turned around and saw the cause.   
  
A child clad in Initiate robes and no more than about five was sitting nearby, holding a forlorn-looking soft toy.  
  
Ren picked up loneliness and sadness from her.  
  
His heart went out to her, he knew from reading that children were taken away by the Jedi to be trained in the ways of the Force, (with their parents’ permission of course) when they were relatively young, his Order did it too, and it was considered an honour, but this was where their philosophies differed, in his universe, parents were allowed to keep in contact with their offspring if they so wished as were the children.  
  
She was a new addition, and she was homesick and perhaps now, felt all alone in the world.  
  
Ren went over to her and said, “Hello, little one…”. He sat down beside her.  
  
She looked up; she was human like most races seemed here and said, “Master, I’m sorry”.

“About what?” Ren asked, “to be caught crying, and feeling all alone in the world?”  
  
She nodded and said, “the other Masters they are kind and I’m happy to be here, but I miss my Mummy”.  
  
Ren nodded “bet you feel all alone in the world right now, huh?”  
  
She nodded “yes”.  
  
Ren said, “always remember in your heart that your mother loves you and no doubt very proud, I was an Orphan, so I know what it is like to feel all alone in the world”.  
  
She nodded and said, “I still miss her”.  
  
“Where are you from,” Ren asked, “I’m not native to this universe…so forgive my ignorance”.  
  
“Alderaan” she replied.  
  
Ren nodded “I heard it is beautiful there and peaceful; although from what I gather that wasn’t always so”.  
  
She nodded and said, “thank you, Master, I feel much better now”.  
  
Ren nodded, made a gesture, and handed her a starstone, it glowed in her hands, and she smiled in delight at it, “how did you?”  
  
Ren said, “my people, the Corran, we have this err odd ability to do simple stuff like that, think it’s our Celestial natures or something it’s a mood stone, so whenever you're feeling down, hold it, what’s your name little one?”  
  
“Arla” she replied.  
  
“Rikren, but I go by Ren,” he said.  
  
“Master Ren,” she said.  
  
“Just Ren, I’m hardly _worthy_ of being called a Master yet” he smiled kindly at her.  
  
**O** ne of the instructors heard them talking and came to see what it was all about and paused in the doorway for a moment to take in the scene, a member of the Order of some species she had never seen before, was sitting down near one of the younglings talking to her, she recognised her as Arla, she was the youngest daughter of an Alderaan noble.   
  
She had been having trouble adapting to temple life.  
  
She tried to guess what the other one was.   
  
She had first thought possibly Trandosian or something but, realised that he wasn’t, but he did look reptilian, although he had long red hair.  
  
“Have you thought of maybe becoming an instructor?” she said, walking in.  
  
Ren turned to her and saw that she was one of the green-skinned yet humanoid race who tattooed their faces, he couldn’t remember what they were called.  
  
“Err no,” said Ren.  
  
“You seem to be rather good with the Younglings,” she remarked.  
  
Ren said, “she was feeling a little lonely…I was an orphan, and I know what feeling all alone the world can be like”.  
  
The woman nodded “Arla shouldn’t you be in bed?”  
  
Arla stood up “yes Master Lirana”.  
  
Ren said “take care little one” as she went off.  
  
Lirana said, “Arla is new here, she hasn’t yet adapted fully to Temple life, and we can’t seem to take that toy away from her”.  
  
Ren said, “she’ll grow out of it, give her time, and I didn’t realise it had gotten so late….” he yawned “give the youngling time, she’s happy to be here and knows what an honour it is, but she’s probably a little older than most who come here and probably is feeling all alone in the world right now. I know what that is like; I was an orphan myself. More or less”.  
  
“She has her clan,” she said.  
  
“Clan?” Ren asked.  
  
“The children. They are assigned to a clan….” She paused then said, “you’re not from a Republic world are you….?”  
  
“No, I’m not, and nor am I, _Sith;_ I’m not native to this universe, but I see now, what you mean, House, where I’m from. Initiates are assigned to a House, depending on their skills, nature and abilities, forgive my ignorance”.  
  
“Who are you?” she asked.  
  
“My name is Ren, we’re guests here” he stood up, she realised he was Saurian, was tall, and lean. 

She had no idea what race he was, he smoothed down his grey coloured robes and said, “it’s late I should head back, my brother he’ll be worried about me by now”.  
  
“Brother?”  
  
“We’re twins and were trained together. They didn’t want to separate twins, especially when they realised, we were stronger together”.  
  
“You were _both_ Force-sensitive?”  
  
“Yes, and yes I do realise that it is here, that our philosophies differ yet again, if you so desire, you are allowed to keep ties with your family and as I said our trainers did not want to separate twins, so yes my brother and I were trained together”.  
  
“That is rare…. force sensitive _twins_ ”.  
  
Ren shrugged “not so much where I come from, uncommon yes, but not unheard of” he bowed to her “goodnight Consular” recognising her as similar to himself, and then turned and walked out back towards where he knew he could get a spare speeder to fly back to their ship.


	7.    Coruscant Space docks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren heads back to the Serendipity- Slight interlude Chapter

**R** en drove his borrowed speeder back to the hanger deck where the Serendipity was parked through Coruscant's streets from the Jedi Temple.  
  
It was late, and was full dark (well as full dark as it was ever going to get on a planet which was a huge city) it did remind him of Saris 4 in many ways, but, Saris 4 wasn’t entirely a colossal city, even heavily shielded as he was he could feel the millions of people here, he and Rik due to both been Healers, were always vaguely aware of such things, they called it ‘white noise _’_ due to been as heavily shielded as they were, it didn’t drive them mad, but they both would notice it if it _weren’t_ there.  
  
Ren slowed for a moment and let the feeling wash over him, smiling as he picked up a woman close by putting her newborn to bed, a child not wanting to go to bed, a couple making love, a woman telling her husband that she was pregnant, a young couple kissing nearby in a park, so much love and joy, but there were darker hints there as well, life itself made Ren slightly giddy, Ren felt it all, life, joy, love, the Way itself, but there was that darkness there still that he had felt before, that was coming, and he wondered what it was.  
  
**H** e heard an annoying beep and suddenly realised he had stopped dead in the traffic lanes, and a person in a car was trying to get past him.  
  
“Move your damn arse ** _Jedi_**!” the person in the car yelled at him, Ren had to smile, it seemed that no matter where you were in the universe people still had road rage!  
  
“Sorry” Ren called “didn’t realise I had stopped” and moved aside to let him overtake him.  
  
The person grunted and said “ damn Jedi! Shouldn’t be allowed to drive!” and drove on.  
  
Ren chuckled and waited for a clear spot and rejoined the flow of traffic back to the spaceport.  
  
Once back at the spaceport transport pad, he handed the speeder over to the droid in charge, wandered in, bought some sweets at one of the vendors, and got an odd look from the Vendor.  
  
Ren chuckled “ hay we eat too,” he said and headed down to their ship intending to share the sweets with Rik if he was still awake.  
  
He went into the dock, giving a wave to the dockhands and their droid.  
  
He entered the _Serendipity_ , sighing in relief as he felt her shielding surround him, sensing that Anakin and Obi-Wan were both onboard and sleeping.  
  
“Welcome back Master Ren,” said Saffy the Hostess droid (they called them Protocol Droids here) and they generally didn’t have individual names well they did, kind of, but it was usually their model name and number or something, but Saffy was Saffy.  
  
“Hi, Saffy, everyone on board and accounted for?” Ren asked.  
  
“Yes, including your two guests and their droid” she replied, “ there is a plate from dinner left in the refrigeration unit for you Master Ren, and some pudding”.  
  
“Thanks, Saffy didn’t realise it was so late, and Rik?”  
  
“Master Rik has retired for the evening Master Ren” she replied.  
  
“Probably still awake though,” Ren said going to the kitchen and finding the dinner plate and reheating it, and took the pudding as well, carrying his meal he went and knocked on Rik’s door, sensing that his brother was still awake and reading.  
Rik opened his door, and Ren came in.  
  
Rik was sitting on his bed with his tablet and wearing his reading glasses ( a trait they both shared although Rik often teased that Ren looked better in his reading glasses than he did!).  
  
“Hi,” said Ren.  
  
Rik looked up “ do you realise how _late_ it is!” he asked.  
  
Ren shrugged and sat down “ got caught up in research. You know what I’m like, the Archives are _amazing_!”  
  
Rik said, “I can imagine!” as Ren started to eat his meal “ find anything useful?”  
  
Ren nodded and handed him a data crystal “I was given permission to download some information on the Sith, and that so here’s what I got, you might want to read some of it…. some of its scary stuff….it seems that there is a ‘ _Dark Side’_ here! And after reading it, I can see why they were a little wary of us both, especially _you_!”  
  
Rik nodded “I felt that too, guess it’s my looks and the way I dress, in a way I’m lucky I don’t have my full adult plumage yet”.  
  
He and Ren were Corran, but they appeared to be Crasolian, due to how they came to be.  
  
Ren looked like what the modern-day Gorta-Trellians used to look like before they evolved into what they were now as the Gorta-Trellians were descended from Dragonkin.  
  
That’s what Ren looked like or ‘ _Dragonborn_ ’.  
  
However, Rik looked like an Academic Caste, Male Artean, a Saurian/Avian race also native to Crasolia, but, because they were not yet 200 years old, Rik had most of his adult plumage still didn’t have it in full.  
  
They both wondered if he ever would.  
  
Their friend, Silas, also Artean, but Warrior Caste had more plumage than Rik did.  
  
Most of Rik's feathers and plumage were normally hidden under his clothes but dressed as he currently was, for sleep, they were apparent.  
  
Rik had feathers covering his back and shoulders, that ran down his arms to form at the end into small vestigial wings, he also had little wings folded down on his back.  
  
Arteans couldn’t fly, but they could glide and rather well for short distances.  
  
Rik’s hair also was a mix of feathers and hair; he also had feathers across the top of his chest.  
  
Ren nodded “yeah”.  
  
Rik shrugged “ should I show them a picture of a male Artean of the Academic caste? That is what I look like.”  
  
“might help,” said Ren “I know I look like well a bit like a dragon”.  
  
Rik said “you're not as fierce-looking as me” he took the crystal and slid it into his table and switched it to holomode and said, “ _Hmm_ , definitely need to do some reading”.  
  
“ I’ll Upload it into Sera’s databanks,” said Ren “ we may need access to it”.  
  
Rik nodded “ok, thanks’ Ren”.  
  
Ren nodded and stood up “ well, I’m off to bed, I’m tired, and my head hurts from all that reading!”  
  
Rik nodded, and he and Ren touched hands, a light flashed between them and then Ren left Rik’s Berth to go to his own, too tired at the moment to even do his daily meditation for despite what everyone thought, he and Rik were Jedaini!


	8. The Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next Morning- Lift Off!

“ **S** era start lift-off sequence,” Ren said the next morning “we’re got clearance to leave and here are the coordinates we've been given, we've been told to watch out for pirates, the Trade Federation and Separationists, and the Sith out in this sector where we’re headed, so be on the alert.”  
  
“ _Separationists_?” Sera asked.  
  
“Yeah apparently there’s someone out here with a Droid army and possibly a Sith Lord of some sort they think,” said Ren “who has a bone to pick with the Republic”.  
  
Sera said, “ _Ok, noted_ ”.  
  
Ren nodded and took his seat in the pilot's chair and putting the headset on that helped him co-ordinate with Sera, “ there is something out there though! I can feel it!”  
  
“We _both_ can,” said Rik joining his brother “and so can Kayla! Think Master Obi-Wan and Anakin are a little surprised at that, it’s making Kayla nervous, I got her too do some lightsabre training with Anakin!”  
  
Ren chuckled “poor Kayla!”  
  
Rik said “I’m thinking **_poor_ _Anakin_**! He’ll no doubt beat her, so it’ll be good practise for her, but he’ll be barraged with _questions_! They’re both restless, so it’ll calm them both down a bit.”  
  
“Hope he goes fairly easy on her then,” said Ren “he’s older than she is and no doubt more experienced”.  
  
“More _experienced_ perhaps, but _older?_ Probably not, Kayla’s GT remember” said Rik “he’ll probably beat her, but they’ll probably both enjoy matching their skills against one another! I like Anakin though; he likes to fly as much as you and I do”.  
  
Ren nodded “ me too”.  
  
Rik said, “ Obi-Wan is so _proper_ though, Anakin, however, is more like you and me”.  
  
Ren nodded “ where _is_ Obi-Wan? We could _both_ learn a lot from Master Kenobi, I feel”.  
  
Rik said, “ have to agree with you there though, glad they let him come with us, even if he is ‘ _proper_ ”.  
  
Ren grinned and checked his panels “ where is Obi-Wan?” he asked again.  
  
“In the meditation chamber last, I saw him,” said Rik “ probably will spend as much time in there as you do!”  
  
Ren said, “ it wouldn’t hurt you either to meditate a little more Rik!”  
  
Rik shrugged “ I get restless, sitting still for too long, **_you’re_ **the one that got that!”  
  
“Yeah right,” said Ren, he then said over the intercom “ sit tight everyone we’re lifting off!”  
  
“ _Gotcha_!” said Tee-Ryki over the intercom _‘give me a sec I’m upside-down under a coupling now, still doing some repairs from that shot we took”.  
  
_ “Ok,” said Ren “ let me know when you're ready”.  
  
A few moments later, Tee reported back in “ _ok ready_ ”.  
  
“Everyone else secure?” Ren asked.  
  
He got reports back in the positive; Rik said: “ We have to go slow until we’re clear out of the traffic, ok?”  
  
Ren nodded and together working in sync he and Rik left the landing dock, and worked their way through the traffic, making way for a battlecruiser or something.  
  
“That’s one of our smaller battlecruisers,” said Obi-Wan’s voice as he came up to the flight deck.  
  
Rik nodded “ nice ship.”  
  
“Probably headed to the outer rim worlds or something,” said Obi-Wan, joining them “ tell me whose _idea_ was it to match **my** Padawan with yours?”  
  
“ _Err_ mine” said Rik.  
  
“You do realise he’ll outmatch her,” Obi-Wan said.  
  
“Yep,” said Rik “ give Kayla some good practice then”.  
  
Ren said “ Kayla has a few tricks of her own, and she has been in battle once or twice and is a former street waif, so don’t think she’ll be an easy win, no doubt Anakin will win the match, but Kayla will put up a good fight”, he shrugged “let them have their fun, and Kayla will enjoy the challenge”.  
  
“The trouble is, so will Anakin,” said Obi-Wan with a sigh.  
  
Rik said, “ Wouldn’t mind having a bit of a bout with you too at some point Master Kenobi! Ren says we could learn a lot from you, and I agree with him”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “you two are quite unlike any Jedi I have ever seen before, mind you, my Master, was also known as been somewhat headstrong, so maybe you are not so strange after all”.  
  
“That was Qui-Gon Jinn, wasn’t it?” Ren asked “I’ve been reading up on some stuff more to know what was going on seeing we are strangers to this world and universe, I read about what you did on Naboo and that, my sympathies for your loss, yes I know that’s not to be dwelled on and all that but like I said, we’re not from here. And although we have similar goals and ideals, our philosophies are different”.  
  
Obi-Wan looked out of the window for a bit and then said “you _are_ different aren’t you, you really are from another universe? Perhaps even another time? Master Yoda and the rest of the Council were a little wary of you both. Maybe it is not only you who has something to learn”.  
  
Ren said, “ well we’re gonna be all stuck on this ship for a while so we might as well all get to know one another better”.  
  
Rik said “yeah…”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “ Thank you for doing this for the Council, risking your lives like this”.  
  
“Consider it a journey for us all,” said Ren “now watch this…we’re got clearance to leave the atmosphere, Sera switch the outside camera’s on.”  
  
“ _yes, Master Rik,”_ said Sera.  
  
Ren nodded “ ok everyone we’re leaving atmosphere,” he said into the intercom “ Anakin you might want to see this, it is an amazing sight”.  
  
**O** bi-Wan (and Anakin) both totally mystified at Ren’s worlds watched the monitors as Rik and Ren entered Coruscant's upper atmosphere and prepared to exit.  
  
Ren smiling closed his eyes and using only his attunement to the Way and becoming one with Sera, exited the atmosphere and before their eyes the entire ship lit up with a golden and pink light as they departed, Obi-Wan couldn’t even disguise his wonder at the beautiful sight and stood just as stunned as his Padawan did, stars and pure light surrounded the beautiful ship as they entered space, as the Sunrise showed why it was called a ‘Sunrise’!   
  
Obi-Wan was amazed at the beauty the whole ship lit up like a sunrise, and it was _beautiful_ , and he just stood there and admired it for a moment.  
  
Even Anakin was astounded, and Kayla grinned and said, “ amazing isn’t it?” she said to her fellow Padawan.  
  
Once the main light show was over, Obi-Wan asked: “ what was that!”  
  
Ren said “ Gets me every time,” he said “ that is why, this class of ship is called ‘ _Sunrise_ ’ it always does that when entering or exiting the atmosphere, or going into warp or coming out of it, or putting up shields or doing anything significant also it glows all the time when flying only not so brightly. “  
  
 _“Did you see_ _that,_ _Master!”_ Anakin said over the intercom _“that was simply amazing!”  
  
_ “Yes, I saw Anakin,” said Obi-Wan, “probably _most_ of Coruscant did!”  
  
Ren chuckled “we aren’t exactly stealthy, but then, we’re not meant to be! We’re primarily a _Freighter_!”.  
  
Obi-Wan said “I know…. Anakin, take it easy on Kayla? I am not comfortable with Master Rik matching you with his Padawan seeing she is probably not yet a match for you, so take it easy on her?”  
  
 _“Gee I’m flattered Master Kenobi but believe me, Anakin and I have been having quite a bit of fun down here…yes, he’s better than me, but I’ve caught_ him _off guard a couple of times! So, I’m not that easy to beat!”_ came Kayla’s voice over the intercom.  
  
Obi-Wan had the decorum to look slightly stunned at that comment.   
  
Anakin spoke then _“Kayla has_ wings _and knows how to_ use _them! Truth is I’ve enjoyed the challenge. She is not as easy to beat as you think Master”.  
_  
Rik chuckled “way to go, Kayla! I knew you’d enjoy the challenge”.  
  
Ren said, “ just be careful Kayla and don’t get too overconfident, Padawan, Skywalker might be, but he is a lot more experienced than you are, and if you excuse me for saying so Anakin, the same could apply to you, don’t think that Kayla is easy to beat, we've both been training her and are quite proud of how she’s coming along”.  
  
“ _Yes, Master Ren,_ ” said Kayla.  
  
Ren nodded “very well, I will come down and have a spar with you later, maybe, practice is always good for the soul, and I fear we may need it”.  
  
Rik said “ have fun you two!” and went back to helping Ren fly the ship, inviting Obi-Wan to join them.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “I’m still not too comfortable with that”.  
  
Ren shrugged “they're **_enjoying_** themselves! I could tell, Kayla’s she’s a Consular, and a Healer like I am which is why she is more my Apprentice than Rik’s but seeing Rik and me are a Corran Pair we are both responsible for her training. So, we have both been training her in her combat skills; she’ll make a great Jedaini one day. She’s strong in the Way and has a good heart, a healthy dose of common sense, a respect for history and a knack with young creatures, especially babies and small children, we are trying to convince her that once she finishes her Apprenticeship to go into medicine working with babies and small children, or Childcare, or as an Instructor, she has a real knack for it”.  
  
“You mean a Career **_outside_** the Order?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Ren said “ Rik and I are both General Practitioners as well as Jedaini Knights, that is probably another area where we differ, you could quite easily make a career as you have done as a Jedaini Knight and even if you choose to branch out a little, the Order is always your priority, but unlike you, the military doesn’t consider us, _Military_ , they consider us as Civilians or Support. Where we come from you would most likely find one of the Order in a support role rather than leading an army although Some of us join the Military. Although we have been known to lead a squadron and are quite good at it, you more likely find us working on starships than warships or commanding a Starship rather than a Warship or doing what Rik and I do”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “ I see”.  
  
Rik said, “ I wanted to join one of the Marine special Corps myself but our Master, wouldn’t let me”.  
  
“Why not?” Obi-Wan asked realising that he wanted to know more about where the brothers came from and perhaps compare philosophies.  
  
Rik said, “ think it’s because of Ren and I’s bond, we share a portion of each other soul, and sometimes act as a feedback to one another, and I guess she was afraid what would happen if one of us were to die… truth to tell even we don’t know what would happen in that circumstance”.  
  
Obi-Wan said “ you share a _soul_? How?”  
  
“Just a portion of each other’s soul,” said Ren “ we were one being once, but we had an accident, it’s a mutation some of our people, the Corran, have, thus we have an empathic link to one another, we are, indeed twins”.  
  
“You mean you know what each other is feeling?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“More or less, and sometimes more, depending on the circumstances, guess it is kind of like the bond you have with your Padawan, only more so,” said Ren, “Rik and I, we pretty much always know where each other is, and whether one of us is in trouble or something, we sense it”.  
  
“Makes sense…it seems we’re got quite a bit to learn from one another, “ he then said, “ call your crew together it’s time we had a briefing.”


	9. Mission Briefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker run a briefing session with the Crew of the Serendipity. And Kimmy and River reveal some startling news, which gets Obi-Wan, and Anakin concerned.  
> See chapter notes for more on this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kimmie Raye and her sister River are old roleplaying characters of mine and a friend. For a Star Wars roleplaying game that never got off the ground. My friend and I put a lot of work into our two characters and that was part of their history, the two girls are originally from Tatooine from around the original Star Wars movies, which was how the Game Master was going to run the game.  
> The events that the girls describe was how the story was going to start.  
> They were going to become part of a crew of the player characters and have adventures in the ship the Game Master had invented.  
> But Seeing the game never got off the ground and I liked the two characters my friend and I made, I kept the characters and put them into my story, Kimmie is an Engineer and River is a Force Adept, not a Jedi (that was going to be part of the whole RP experience! )

“ **I** s your entire crew here?” Obi-Wan asked Rik and Ren as he entered the Galley with them as it was the only room on the ship that could seat the entire crew at once as unlike the ships Obi-Wan and Anakin were used to travelling on in the Republic Fleet, they didn’t have a conference or briefing room, they just had the Galley, it was as Ren had pointed out a Freighter after all and not a Troop carrier or a Warship.  
  
Ren nodded and said, “all of us, and Sera, of course, whose everywhere”.  
  
Anakin looked around the table as he joined his Master, Artoo beeped in greeting at Saffy, Maxus (the ships Astromech) Bob (Rik’s Droid) and BB80 (Kimmie’s Droid).  
  
Saffy was the perfect Protocol Droid offered everyone drinks and snacks and stood quietly to one side.  
  
“You have a _lot_ of Droids” Obi-Wan observed ‘but then so do we on the larger ships”.  
  
Rik said, “Maxus and Saffy came with the ship, Bob’s mine I rebuilt him after finding him on the scrapheap and well Kimmie came with her own Droid”.  
  
“He used to help my parents on our farm,” said Kimmie, she was a human woman of about twenty-five, she was the ship's engineer, her best friend and adopted sister was a dark-haired Force Sensitive woman named River, who was about 21 or 22.  
  
“ _Farm_?” Anakin asked.  
  
“Moisture farming,” said Kimmie.  
  
“You're from _Tatooine_?” said Anakin “so was I”.  
  
“Yes,” said Kimmie “until the Empire took everything and killed my parents! River and I barely escaped with our lives! They were looking for some Droids apparently and tried to Take B!”  
  
“Hold on, **The Empire**?” Anakin asked, “where are you from?”  
  
“I think it is more like **when** Anakin…there hasn’t been a war for centuries!” Obi-Wan said.  
  
“Time travel? Is **that** possible!” Anakin asked.  
  
“It is in our universe,” Ren said.  
  
“The theory is there….” Obi-Wan admitted, “but we've never been able to achieve it, you mean you have?”  
  
“Some races can, not all” Ren admitted.  
  
“But regardless…. we haven’t been at war for Centuries! Our Peace is a thousand years strong admittingly there was a time, but no longer, you and River must be from the past then!” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“Or the future,” said Ren.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at Ren “I don’t want even to **consider** that possibility!”.  
  
“It is a possibility though,” Anakin said then darkly “especially after what happened on Naboo”.  
  
Kimmie shrugged “well regardless all I know is this, River and I are from a time, that the Empire is basically in charge and the Republic is in tatters…River and I were forced to flee from Tatooine on a stolen Freighter because _some_ Warlord named Darth Vader attacked Tatooine looking for some Droids! There was this incident in the Cantina that only made it worse! An old guy and a younger guy caused something of an uproar. A smuggler got them off-world, we tried to get onto his ship as well, but he took off before we had a chance to ask him if he would be willing to take us too, so we had to _steal_ one!”  
  
“A _Darth_?” Obi-Wan asked “a _Sith_?”  
  
“The Jedi are practically only legends where we came from…. We were so shocked when we met Rik and Ren and the ship, they were on at the time. And that was when we realised, we were no longer in our own universe!”  
  
Obi-Wan looked astonished ‘what was this Sith Warlord called again?”  
  
“Darth Vader,” said River “I sensed him when we flew to close to his ship, I don’t think he sensed me though…. think he was distracted with something else at the time or thought I was too insignificant to notice, scared the hell out of me though”.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at the girl “have you had any formal training at _all_?”  
  
“No. although master's Rik and Ren have been helping me,” River said.  
  
Kimmie said, “there are no Jedi where we come from…”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “you must be from the past then, this Darth Vader…wonder if he is in our archives? Might have to look him up, so you have an idea who the Sith are and what they are capable off…that’s good, as your two friends don’t, which brings me to the reason for this briefing…”.  
  
“So, I’m guessing a Darth is a high ranking Sith warlord or something?” Rik asked.  
  
“Yes,” said Obi-Wan, “thus this briefing, Rik, Ren, you know nothing of the Sith or what they are capable of. Kimmie and River have an idea, it seems but from the viewpoint of an outsider. The rest of you have no idea who the Sith are or what they are capable of!” Obi-Wan said, “may I use your holo-projector?”  
  
Ren nodded “Sera will alter it to suit”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded and did so “this is where we think the artefact is, it is on Korriban, as far as we know, no one but Ghosts are there anymore, it’s in old Sith space”.  
  
“I see,” said Ren.  
  
He continued “yes the Artefact, is believed to be somewhere there…. That is where we have picked up the signals”.  
  
“What is it?” Ren asked.  
  
“An ancient Holocrom, or Wayfinder we believe or something similar,” said Obi-Wan “how it ended up undiscovered for all this time is still something of a mystery. The Sith they vanished over a thousand years ago, or so we believed…” he sighed “, but that is another story”.  
  
Ren suggested, “maybe there has been some recent environmental changes to the planet, which has somehow uncovered it….”.  
  
“That is indeed possible Ren,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
Ren nodded “go on”.  
  
“It’s said that Darth Vader doesn’t even have to be on the same ship even to reach out and kill you…” said Kimmie “so we could be facing something like that right?”  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “we know that there is at least one other Sith out here…but we’re not sure if it is the master or the Apprentice, there are always two of them. But this Darth Vader must be strong in the Dark Side of the Force to do that I wonder why he isn’t in the Archives? I can’t remember ever seeing his name mentioned” he looked thoughtful “I wonder how long ago you are from? you say the Jedi are non-existent?”  
  
River nodded “yes although I’m sure the old guy we saw in the Cantina had Force Powers, I felt them”.  
  
“Did you catch his name?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“No, he and the young guy and the smuggler hightailed it out of there pretty quickly,” Kimmie said “like I said we wanted to ask the smuggler for passage on his ship off-world, but he was gone before we had a chance to. Think he was from Corellia or something, the young guy must have been the old guy's Grandson or something we didn’t catch their names at all, sorry Master Kenobi”.  
  
“And you said the older man had Force Powers?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
River nodded “I think so…I sensed it; it was partly why we wanted passage on the smuggler's ship. I thought that maybe he could well….”.  
  
“Give you some training” Obi-Wan said understanding.  
  
“Or at least offer me some advice,” River said, “I’m untrained, and it scares me sometimes…especially when it gets out of control sometimes, Masters Rik and Ren have been helping me with that”.  
  
Kenobi nodded “makes sense, shame you didn’t catch his name, but this Darth, I swear I haven’t come across a Sith Lord named Darth Vader”.  
  
“Yeah, well whoever he is, he’s taken control of a _lot_ of things!” said Kimmie with a sigh “or at least his people have…”  
  
“So you have some idea of what a Sith Lord can do, that’s good,” said Obi-Wan “that’s good, we may need that… we have to look out for Pirates, War-droids, Separationists, The Trade Federation, and there is possibly another Sith Lord out here somewhere as well, whom we possibly might encounter, or at least become aware of his presence,” he paused “ I need to contact the Council, ask them if they're heard of a Darth Vader.. chances are he’s not the one we’re looking for, especially if you're from the past, but why _isn’t_ he mentioned anywhere?”  
  
“I don’t think he’s the one we are trying to find Master” Anakin remarked.  
  
Obi-Wan said “I don’t think so, but there is a Sith out there somewhere. But we’re not sure If it is the Master or the Apprentice. Given the fact that Kimmie and River may be from the past anyway but the fact alone that I have never heard of a Darth Vader…. makes you wonder though”.  
  
“or they’re from the future,” said Ren then “as your Padawan pointed out, that is a possibility…time and space is relative, I sense darkness coming…”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “there is _always_ Darkness Ren”.  
  
“ _You cannot have darkness without light, good without evil, balance without chaos, stillness without Motion”_ quoted Ren then, making Obi-Wan wonder if that was one of the philosophies of their Order.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “we really should have a talk one day on our different philosophies…. But now is not the time”, he had to admit he liked Ren, who reminded him of a younger him in many ways.  
  
Rik was more like Anakin, which was why the two of them got on so well.  
  
They _both_ reminded him of Qui-Gon, “the Sith they get their powers from emotions like anger and fear, even passion, which is why the one you ran into is so powerful, River, Kimmie. Especially if you came from a time when the Jedi are few I’m guessing sometime around the Sith Wars. That makes sense…”.  
  
“A lot of Psionic powers do,” said Ren “get fuelled by emotions”.  
  
Kimmie shrugged “well whatever”.  
  
Obi-Wan continued “but that’s beside the point, how long do you think it will take us to get to these co-ordinates…. I’m not quite sure of your ship's capabilities, especially seeing you aren’t a warship or even a Republic cruiser!”  
  
“About a week depending on what we run into,” said Ren “two at most… we aren’t natives here, so we aren’t entirely sure of your capacities either, we aren’t carrying a load now so we can travel at full speed”.  
  
“Ok,” said Obi-Wan “hopefully that is enough time to prepare us all for what we may face, this is in old Sith Space, and we may run into well, traps …and the Dark Side, and I’m not sure how prepared you three are for that,” he said looking at Kayla.  
  
Ren said, “I wouldn’t worry about us Master Kenobi, Rik and I aren’t from your universe granted, but we are fully-fledged Knights, it’s more our Padawan we’re worried about” he smiled at Kayla “do some reading up on the Sith, Kayla, Rik and I are”.  
  
“Already doing so, Master Ren,” said Kayla “some of its scary stuff but no more than what the enemy is doing to ours!”  
  
Ren nodded “very well, should have known you would be ahead of us!” he smiled at her “and see me about those bruises!” as he noticed Kayla had a few new ones “you didn’t try to take on Anakin, did you?”  
  
“No, but he’s way better than I am at the moment….” Kayla said.  
  
Anakin had to smile he had to admit he had enjoyed matching skills with Kayla.  
  
“ _Anakin_ ,” said Obi-Wan then.  
  
“No Master I didn’t’ deliberately try to beat her, but Kayla isn’t as easy to beat as both you and Master Ren seem to think”, Anakin said, “she was surprisingly a good match for me and those wings…she knows how to use them!”  
  
“Wing's _rule_!” Kayla said and sat down next to Ren, both their Apprentice she might technically be, but it was clear to both Obi-Wan and Anakin whose Padawan she really was!  
  
“I _told_ you to go easy on her,” said Obi-Wan to his Padawan “she’s not as experienced as you are!”  
  
Kayla grinned “who said he **wasn’t** going easy?” she asked.  
  
“Kayla is used to sparring with me,” said Ren “or Rik, she is used to someone using a double-bladed lightsabre because **I** do, I’m a Shadowblade, although admittingly I don’t always use the skills I have as one to their fullest potential”.  
  
“The Sith did too,” Obi-Wan said, “so you had some training with fighting against someone with a double-bladed Lightsabre, Kayla?”  
  
Kayla nodded “yes and some combat training as well”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “that is something then…I was going to ask Anakin to work with you with staves so you would get some idea of how to fight someone with a double-bladed lightsabre, but it seems you have already had some training in that”.  
  
Ren said “I use a double-bladed lightsabre and can use a single as well just as good. Rik prefers two. I found using a Double-Bladed lightsabre suit my fighting style better. I’m not as quick as Rik. I’m told I fight much like a monk, not fast but steady”.

  
“He’s also physically stronger than me,” said Rik, floating an apple out of the bowl and biting into it, Obi-Wan frowned but didn’t say anything, “somewhat”.  
  
Ren said, “that is true…we match each other in our Powers, but when it comes to physical strength, I am somewhat stronger than Rik is” he took an orange and started to peel it, he had small, short claws on his hands.  
  
“More tea?” Saffy asked then.  
  
Ren nodded “yes have you got that orange-cinnamon blend that Rik and I like so much?”  
  
Saffy nodded “yes, Master Ren”.  
  
Ren nodded “a pot of that will be nice and maybe some pot stickers or something. I get a feeling that we’re in for a long planning session here”.  
  
“Yes, Master Ren, I will also put a roast on… with baked potatoes and vegetables…”.  
  
“Sounds good,” said Ren.  
  
“Could I have some jelly and ice-cream?” Kayla asked then “and one of your great chocolate milkshakes!”  
  
“At once Mistress Kayla,” said Saffy and took her leave.  
  
“Nicely programmed Protocol Droid,” Anakin said approvingly.  
  
Ren said “she came with the ship and believe me Saffy is way more than just a Protocol Droid! She can do a lot more than that!”  
  
Obi-Wan said, “your right though we are in for a long planning session here, before we go any further…have you got a secure communications channel?”  
  
Ren nodded towards something on the wall nearby.  
  
He saw that it was a communications panel “that goes through the whole ship…and believe me, it’s as secure as you can get Sera, she makes sure of that. why?”  
  
Obi-Wan said, “I want to ask the Jedi Council if they're heard of a Darth Vader…?”  
  
Ren said “ok, here” he handed him something “use my codes…I have a high-security clearance on them due to being both a Doctor and a Jedaini, Code 12”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “thank you; chances are I won’t find him…but it is worth a try”.  
  
Ren nodded “ok. If you’re worried about the transponder showing our location, just put in the four-digit code it will hide it”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “thanks”.  
  
Ren nodded and went back to studying the notes he had gotten and tried to think of some ideas he could put forth.  
  
Obi-Wan using Ren’s codes put a call through to the Jedi Council.  
  
When he got someone, he said “Master Osarin!” he explained who he was and then added, “I wondered if you could get someone to look a name up in the Archives for me”.  
  
“ _We could try Master Kenobi, who do you wish to find_?”  
  
Obi-Wan said “their probably under historical references, a Sith Lord by the name of Darth Vader. I don’t believe I have ever heard of them, but I wondered if it is possible to see if they are in the archives, possibly from around the Sith Wars …one of Ren’s crew mentioned them, and I am curious….it seems their from this Darth’s time”.  
  
“ ** _Time Travel_**? _Master Kenobi_?” Master Osarin asked.  
  
“Possibly…the theory has always been there but seems to be an impossibility or at least so in this universe, but Rik and Ren aren’t from this universe… or so they say…just see if you can find this Darth though it’s got me intrigued.”  
  
“ _We will try, but a lot of those records have been lost from around that period or are incomplete or incorrect._ ”  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “thank you, if you find something, transmit it through to me …. Ren can I use these codes?” he asked over his shoulder.  
  
Ren nodded “yes. Not sure if yours will work or be as secure “.  
  
“Thank you, Ren, send it through to me via this code…Master Osarin, Master Ren’s ship like Ren, is not from this universe and we’re had to alter some things to work properly,” said Obi-Wan “even I have to say I’m impressed with what I’ve seen of Master Ren’s ship! But it is quite unlike anything of our own! Technology level seems on Par with our own, but it is also quite different”.  
  
_“Very well Master Kenobi,”_ said Osarin.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “thank you” and signed off.  
  
“You won’t find him, Master,” said Anakin, then quietly.  
  
Ren looked at Anakin, as did Obi-Wan and Ren said: “have to say I agree with your Padawan Master Kenobi…something tells me you won’t find him”.  
  
“Maybe not, but it’s worth a try,” said Obi-Wan “indulge me a little, I’m curious”.  
  
Ren nodded “good luck…but I think it may be a dead-end….”.

  
Obi-Wan nodded and then said, “let’s get started…I got a feeling we’re in for a _long_ night”.  
  



	10. A few days later….

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin gets to fly the Serendipity!

Ren was flying the Serendipity late at night a few days later, enjoying the solitude, in his quiet way Ren loved to fly as much as Rik did.  
  
In contrast, Rik enjoyed the high tension, quick-thinking, of flying a starfighter.  
  
Ren loved the slower, steadier pace of flying a shuttle or a small ship like the Serendipity.  
  
Ren often flew the Serendipity late at night after everyone had retired for a few hours he loved it when it was just him, the ship, and the universe.  
  
Ren was too slow to fly a Starfighter but as Rik said, put him at the helm of a shuttle or something, and he was simply brilliant!  
  
Humming a little as he adjusted their course to avoid what looked like some space junk, he became aware of a presence in the room and turned and saw Anakin Skywalker standing there, with his arms folded looking out at the starfield.  
  
“Hi, what’s up?” Ren asked him “couldn’t sleep?”  
  
Anakin nodded “sometimes I get dreams” he explained, he looked thoughtfully at the starfield “one of my boyhood dreams was having a ship like this.”  
  
Ren chuckled “know that feeling! You love to fly as much as Rik, and I do! Rik likes flying starfighters though I’m a bit more suited to flying shuttles and small ships like this, too slow to fly a starfighter, that is _not_ saying I _can’t_ fly one though”.  
  
Anakin nodded as Ren indicated the seat next to him and Ren said, “ want to learn how to fly this crate?”  
  
Anakin looked eagerly at the control panel “ serious?”  
  
Ren nodded and got up and indicated the pilot seat “ take a seat…have to attune you to the ship though”.  
  
“You what?”  
  
“Attune you to the ship so you can use the headset”.   
  
“Oh,” said Anakin he’d noticed the headset that Ren usually wore while flying the ship.  
  
Anakin sat down” I noticed that…what does it do?”  
  
Ren said, “give me a few moments, and I will show you”.  
  
Anakin did so and following Ren’s instructions he did as he was asked, and Ren said, “ try it now Anakin”.  
  
“How?’ Anakin asked.  
  
Ren said, “ _Use the Force_!” and grinned “seriously though just relax and feel…..Sera will help”.  
  
Anakin nodded as Ren sat beside him and put the spare headset on “relax” Ren urged.  
  
Anakin nodded “I will try Master Ren”.  
  
Ren nodded “ won’t work if you don’t”.  
  
Anakin said, “I’ll try”.  
  
“Here I’ll help you,” said Ren putting a hand on Anakin’s shoulder-opening himself to him “concentrate on the stars” he urged “ remember your dreams you had as a boy so long ago”.  
  
“You glow so brightly!” Anakin said, amazed at Ren’s presence in the Force.  
  
“So do you,” Said Ren with a chuckle “I was a celestial being once, so I guess it still shows”.  
  
Anakin closed his eyes and did as Ren suggested.   
  
Suddenly it was like he was one with the ship and the stars, he could see where they had been and where they were going.   
  
All he had to do was concentrate.  
  
Ren started to glow himself slightly, and Anakin got the impression of a shining celestial being.  
  
“Your almost like an angel!” said Anakin amazed “or as they say they are like”.  
  
Ren chuckled “in many ways I could be considered as such…I am Corran, and we are Celestial beings “didn’t think they believe in angels in this universe….”  
  
“There are legends,” said Anakin “ and I feel I could just fly this ship by thought alone!”  
  
“That’s the idea,” said Ren removing his hand “ you become the ship, it enhances all of your senses….and you can see further than you would normally, very useful in battle. It’s why you have to be at least psionically sensitive to fly one of these things! It’s like using the Force only moreso. Takes some practice though”.  
  
Anakin said, “there is darkness out there, though, can you feel it?”  
  
Ren nodded “I have since Coruscant, careful Anakin don’t lose yourself too much in it…. there are shades of grey, but too much can be deadly.”  
  
Anakin nodded “this is amazing! can I fly for a while!”  
  
Ren nodded “ok…nothing much out there at the moment…. I often like to fly for a while after everyone has gone to sleep. I find it soothing. I’ll join you in the co-pilot seats and advise seeing this probably isn’t something you're ever flown before the best thing to do is relax, Sera will help you too”.  
  
Anakin nodded “machines though they have always talked to me”.  
  
Ren nodded “you love to fly as much as Rik, and I do. I’m not a starfighter pilot, but I’ve always love to fly…getting our own ship was a dream of RikRen’s too”.  
  
“Rikren?”   
  
“Who we both were once,” said Ren “a Healers apprentice who was a little _too_ curious! Thus well… _Rikren_ was our name, thus Rik and Ren”.  
  
“I remember you mentioning that,” said Anakin.  
  
Ren nodded “it was a long time ago, _whoa_!” Anakin felt him bank sharply and take the controls himself.  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And Something unexpected happens!

**A** ball of fiery light whizzed by the ship, and Ren frowned at it “I didn’t feel that coming! Did you?”  
  
“No, what was it?” Anakin asked.  
  
“No idea, possibly just a bit of space junk ” Ren using his headset used his enhanced senses “ _whoa_ there’s more coming! Small meteor swarm, I think. Here Anakin swap seats with me, sorry to say this you aren’t quite as familiar as I am with the ship so you’ll have to co-pilot”.  
  
Anakin nodded and did so, “Sera help Anakin,” said Ren.  
  
“ _Doing so_!” she said.  
  
“Just let Sera help you,” Ren said “ don’t resist her” he took his seat and opened himself to the Way and started to see in his mind’s eye where the meteors were coming from.  
  
“Ouch what hit us!” said Tee-Ryki coming in “I was getting a snack!” the strange little alien was holding a sandwich and a glass of water.  
  
“Small meteor swarm and there are more coming!” said Ren “ hold on!”  
  
Tee nodded and got into the middle seat “ want me to man the lasers…in case we need them”.  
  
Ren said, “ actually depending on their size and weight Anakin and I could divert the smaller ones”.  
  
Tee nodded “I’ve seen you and Rik move asteroids!”  
  
Anakin looked at the strange little alien “ Really?” he asked.  
  
“Yep,” said Tee “only _little_ ones, of course, but I have seen them do it!”  
  
Anakin said “that’s amazing! How strong are the two of you in the Force?”  
  
Ren chuckled “stronger than we sometimes realise, hold on! Watch!” and grinning.   
  
Anakin watched in amazement as Ren diverted some of the small meteors or whatever they were coming at them merely by the Force! And Anakin could feel his joy at using the Force.  
  
Ren nodded and said, “you try, you are strong too, Anakin, no wonder they call you the ‘ _Chosen One_ ’.” He paused “you will go far but take care, ok?”  
  
Anakin said, “Master Obi-wan will not approve…”.  
  
Ren shrugged “ _Meh_! if he complains I’ll tell him it was _my_ fault, why have the ability if you can’t well ‘ _play_ ’ with it occasionally?”  
  
Anakin had to smile, Ren was so like Obi-Wan mostly, but it was times like this he showed that he had a lighter side and that he wasn’t so well…. _staid_.  
  
“Master Kenobi says that it is hardly a _respectable_ use for the Force,” said Anakin.  
  
Ren nodded “they tell the same thing to the younger students at the academy but even they are allowed to ‘ _play_ ’ sometimes. Force play is an integral part of learning control; it is felt, especially if you have more than a promising talent in it like Rik and I do” he paused “I think it is more a way to stop them from hurting one another or themselves…especially if they are young, but older students, ones more comfortable in its use are allowed to _‘play’_ with it occasionally.”  
  
Anakin nodded “ sometimes I wish I came from where you're from”.  
  
Ren said “ I noticed the differences…they are interesting…our ideas and philosophies don’t always match yours. Yours says there is no emotions only peace; ours are more there is no light side, nor dark side, there is only the Way but how you chose to use it is your decision alone you cannot have light without darkness, Law without chaos, stillness without motion, and so on…. We are allowed to love, allowed to have families and friends, just as long as we always remain _true_ to our heart and be sensible”, he paused and diverted some more small meteors, glowing slightly, “join me Anakin”.  
  
“How?”  
  
“The same way you do with your master….warn you though it might _err_ , feel a little strange due to my former celestial nature”.  
  
“What’s happening?” came a voice as Rik joined them on the bridge.  
  
“minor meteor shower,” said Ren “I’m sensing perhaps something destroyed a larger one.”  
  
“There is a Sith Lord out here somewhere and a robot army,” Anakin said, he looked “but can you see anything?”  
  
“No,” said Ren “Sera, can you see anything?”  
  
 _“Scanning”_ Sera replied _“picking up some debris though, like there has been a recent explosion”.  
  
_ “How far away?’ Ren asked.  
  
 _“not enough to harm us, but we seem to be the only ones out here though”_ Sera replied, _“maybe that is what destroyed the asteroid, I’m not sensing any lifeforms or anything”.  
  
_ Anakin said “there is a robot army out here though, maybe you should scan for non-organics?” hoping Ren would forgive him for doing what he did.  
  
Ren said “ Anakin’s right scan for non-organics” as he moved some more meteor shards from around their ship.  
  
“We’re in Old Sith space here,” said another voice as Obi-Wan walked onto the flight deck so be on your guard we may find traps here, that you wouldn’t recognise as such”.  
  
Ren said, “ we _aren’t_ totally _without_ knowledge you know”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “ I know you’re not, but this is not your universe”.  
  
Ren said “true, Tee how’s our engines?” this was asked of the strange little turtlelike Alien that Anakin and Obi-wan knew helped run the ship’s engines with Kimmie.  
  
“Nothing wrong with them, all damage has been repaired” Tee replied, “why?”  
  
“Just in case we need to make a run for it,” Ren said.  
  
Tee said “their fine, Kimmie and I fixed them days ago I was just watching over them while she sleeps,” he said as they took turns in doing so “was just about to go to bed myself in fact when we were hit, it’s why I was getting a snack”.  
  
 _“There’s no damage,”_ Sera said, _“our buffers are getting rid of most of them. We may feel some bumps though; I could watch over the ship while you all get some sleep”.  
  
_ Ren nodded “ there are a few of them…want me to keep awake so we can get through them with minimal fuss?”  
  
 _“If you like master Ren, although I insist you get some sleep or something or at least take a nap”.  
  
_ “Ok,” said Ren “wake me if we run into any trouble though, I’ll just curl up here on one of the couches”.  
  
Anakin said “I could fly for a while if you want with your help Sera? I wasn’t sleeping too well, anyway. “  
  
Sera said, “Ok _I’ll just do most of the flying, you basically can just keep vigil alter our course if need be”.  
  
_ Obi-Wan chuckled “you have just been itching to _fly_ this, haven’t you Anakin?”  
  
Anakin said “of course I was! Master. Master Ren was giving me a few lessons in flying the ship. I’ve never flown anything like this before!”  
  
“Very well, I will allow it then, but I am sitting here with you,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
Anakin said, “very well Master”.  
  
Ren said, “ Sera will do most of the flying, I’ll just be here on the couch if you need me” and lay down on one of the couches full length.  
  
Tee-Ryki said “and I’ll be in my bunk if you need me” and walked out.  
  
“What race is he?” Anakin asked.  
  
“They're called _Torteean_ “Ren replied, “and you find them all over the Alliance working on Starships and the like because it is one of their specialties”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “you have to tell me more about this Alliance of yours one day Master Ren, I am curious about it”.  
  
Ren nodded “ ok but not right now, wake me if you run into any problems” and lay back down on the couch and was soon asleep or appeared to be.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Serendipity runs into a slight problem

Ren awoke to an alarm and flew to his feet, realising that it was morning. Rik was flying the Serendipity, with Anakin as co-pilot.  
  
“What’s up,” Ren asked.  
  
“Your awake, “Rik said “we’re got a parameter alert, somethings on our tail…I’m guessing a pirate or something. Anakin and Obi-Wan said that they are found out here. They're probably seen our ship and want it for themselves”.  
  
“Are they firing?” Ren asked.  
  
“No, but I got Kimmie and River ready to hop into the small turrets and Kaldor on the big one, Anakin reckons it’s the Trade Federation or the Separatists”.  
  
“Who?” Ren asked.  
  
“They’re an interstellar shipping and trade conglomerate but have been causing us some troubles of late” Obi-Wan said walking up on the deck “they had a part in the defeat of Naboo, and it appears that they have allied with the Separatists who are against the Republic, they have a droid army. And Anakin may be right, or they may be the Trade Federation or are working for them…technically they claim that they are neutral, but they have been causing us some trouble of late” he paused “try to lose them, they have probably sighted your ship and are wondering who you are”.  
  
Ren said, “we have something similar in our world…they're called the Dominion and although technically not the enemy they do not like the Jedaini too much. They consider us corrupted by the Void”.  
  
“Are we in their space?” Rik asked.  
  
“Possibly this is former Sith space,” said Obi-Wan “they will not recognise your ship and will have no hesitation to fire at you”.  
  
“Would _talking_ to them help?’ Rik asked as he deftly avoided some debris and frowned at it. “there appears to be a lot of debris out here! Ren, I need you at the Helm, sorry Ani, but Ren can fly this crate better than anyone! And I’m used to co-piloting with him. The two of us can communicate on a level that no one else can ever hope to achieve”.  
  
“Just try and avoid them,” Obi-Wan said, “normally I wouldn’t advise that, but you are strangers to this world, so it is warranted this time. And Anakin, Master Rik is right, he needs Master Ren at the helm”.  
  
“Yes, Master,” said Anakin, as Ren took the Helm and Rik, got into the co-pilot's seat, used more to co-piloting than Piloting, Ren was the expert at flying the Freighter.  
  
**S** uddenly they felt the ship shake, and Rik said “are we been shot at?  
  
“ _Yes, Master Rik,_ ” said Sera “ _confirming identity of the ship, Separatist_!”  
  
“Then why are they shooting at us?” said Rik ‘we’re not a Republic ship!”.  
  
“ _We are quite possibly in their space,_ ” said Sera “or _maybe trying to protect something”.  
  
_ “Don’t shoot back” Obi-Wan advised, “if you can avoid them, do so!”.  
  
Ren nodded “Sera how long before the cloaking device to come online? And we how long can we maintain it?”

“ _10 Minutes, Ren to come online and about an hour to safely maintain it_ ”.  
  
“Ok initiate Cloak sequence,” Ren said, “Kaldor I need you off the big gun and operating the phaser banks instead”.  
  
“ _you sure about that Ren?”_ Kaldor asked.  
  
“I’m initiating our cloak; we aim to **avoid** rather than fight! If possible. Yes, I know you rather fight but Kaldor we need to run in this case”.  
  
Kaldor said, “ _ok, Ren, but you_ _know_ _how I feel about that_!”  
  
“You can man the phasers’ Ren said.  
  
“ _Ok,_ ” he said.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “are you _sure_ that this is a Freighter?”  
  
“Freighter/Hybrid, it is basically a mini Corvette in many ways, but registers as a Freighter and can quite easily be used as one, it is lightly armoured, can move pretty fast if not loaded and has some weapons, two small cannons, the main canon, which uses a lot of power and has four phasers, it can be used primarily as a Freighter but can also go into battle, it isn’t fully a mini battleship, but it isn’t just a Freighter either! It’s a Sunrise!”.  
  
“And a Cloaking Device” Rik added.  
  
“We can either use the main cannon or the cloaking device, not both, at once, as they both drain power,” said Ren.  
  
“What’s a cloaking device?” Obi-wan asked.  
  
“We can run invisibly for about an hour, enough to get away or to avoid conflict,” Ren said, “it can even make us invisible in the Force temporarily when it’s up, that is ones of its powers, but as I said it drains power, so we use it sparingly as it takes about 10 hours to recharge, the main gun, it recharges quicker”.  
  
“This is more than _just_ a Freighter Master Obi-Wan!” said Anakin “this is the type of ship I dreamt of owning back as a boy on Tatooine!”  
  
Ren chuckled “Rik and I, we were lucky to find her, and we didn’t realise how much we wanted our own ship until we got her! Jedaini in our universe are often found on warships. Like they are here, but it is not uncommon either to find ships like this independently owned and run by a member of the Order, you will even find us in command of a Starship! And sometimes in times of war, a Warship. This ship was made for the Order!”.  
  
“So basically, you're allowed to do stuff like that?” Anakin asked, “independently run, own and crew your own ship like this?”  
  
Rik spoke then “living your entire life as a member of the Order much as you do, is quite easily done, doing what you do best, keeping the peace and many do. But just as easily done is independently owning and running your own ship as we do. The Justice is a Starship commanded by a Jedaini. It is a Jedaini Starship, one other is _The Pathfinders Hope_ although it is run and commanded by an alien race which Ren and I crewed with for about a year. The owner of that is _also_ a Jedaini amongst other things! It is not such an uncommon thing to find one of the Order doing what Ren and I do. We run cargo mostly, do missions for the Alliance, bring Criminals back to Justice even! We’ve even transported troops! We aren’t mercenaries, but you find us mostly doing exactly this, we run and crew our own ship for the Alliance”.  
  
“And yet you get paid for it?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“Sometimes, _yes_! But it is not really for monetary gain” Rik said “we are still paying off the ship, and we use it to maintain our ship and crew! Some of it goes to the Temple on Saris as well. Ren and I left a comfortable and safe life aboard the Justice to go freelance and do what we are doing now, it was something we _had_ to do, and we both enjoy doing so and believe me two trained Jedaini Healers and their crew are a welcome sight to **many** a beleaguered world! The **_Serendipity_** is our livelihood, and it is independently run and _owned_ by **us**! It’s **our** ship and **our** crew!”.  
  
Ren said, “Sera initiate Cloaking Sequence now!”  
  
“ _Initiating!”_ Sera replied.  
  
Ren nodded and said into the speakers “we’re running silent for an hour crew so no letting off weapons or anything, man your stations but don’t fire unless either Rik or I say so, we aim to **AVOID** rather than fight!”  
  
“ _Gotcha Ren_!!” came both River’s and Kimmie's voices.  
  
Kaldor walked into to man the phaser banks and Iselka also came up, both Anakin and Obi-Wan weren’t sure what to think about her, she was a Force Adept, but she seemed more Sith than Jedi, Rik and Ren were both Grey, but this one made them both a little nervous.  
  
Iselka said she was what was known as a Black Flame and was a member of something called The Sisterhood of the Void. From what they had gotten out of her she seemed like one of the Witches of Darthomir, she was also as Ren had revealed a T’ron who was one of the three races that had declared war on their universe.   
  
Ren had said that she was a member of the something called The Fifth Column, a group of T’ron who were trying to work for peace rather than war. They passionately believed that the T’ron should have been allies rather than enemies.   
  
However, still, she made both nervous.  
  
She was a tall, slim, white-haired woman with grey-blue skin and amber eyes, near-human yet alien; she had some scars and tattoos on her skin that added to her alien appearance, she said she was their Tactical Advisor.  
  
“I’ve been doing some research,” she said, her voice was low, and she spoke somewhat formally with an accent, “this is old Sith space as Master Kenobi said and Korriban which is also known as Moraband these days is close…I can feel it, and I believe all of us who are sensitive to it can”.  
  
Ren nodded “I’ve been sensing it for a while. It upset Kayla, which is why she’s asleep, I gave her something to help her sleep. We may be innocent, but Kayla is only thirteen and even more so, might have to shield her a little when we land, I’d rather not take her with us…but well she insisted”.  
  
“Kids, Jedaini to the Core” Rik said with a smile “I agree with you Ren, but well Kayla is _Kayla_!”  
  
Ren said, “ _I’m_ still not sure if we should take her”.  
  
Rik said, “she’s our Padawan, so I guess the decision is ours whether we take her with us”.  
  
“Kayla will _want_ to come,” said Iselka with a smile “Kids got the soul of a fighter, if necessary, I’ll look after her”.  
  
Ren said “thanks Iselka, oddly enough the two of you have hit it off rather well!”  
  
Iselka said, “she sees me as sort of a mother figure. Which is strange seeing I have never been a mother and I’m the last person who would think of myself as thus”.  
  
Ren said “she was orphaned quite young” he shrugged.  
  
Iselka said “but yes I have been doing some research into this _Korriban_ …old Sith space. The place is a tomb apparently and using the information I have been given it seems that’s the thing we are looking for is in one of the tombs. I’ve managed to locate it roughly but be prepared for some climbing”.  
  
“Hiking through old tombs my _favourite_!” Rik said with a chuckle” he grinned “go on”.  
  
Ren said “ _Rik_! Last time we hiked through an old tomb, _you_ got us **lost**!” as he looked for a possible place to hide “our cloak up?”  
  
“ _yep,_ ” Sera said.  
  
“They still shooting at us?” Ren asked.  
  
“ _No, they have stopped I think they lost us when the cloak went up,_ ” she said “ _looking for possible hidey holes we could use until they pass us over_. _There are a lot of asteroids out there that we could use to hide under or something._ ”  
  
“Watch out some of them possibly _aren’t_ asteroids,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
 _“scanning for lifeforms”_ Sera said, _“we have stuff like that in our universe as well, so I do it as a standard procedure”.  
  
_ “That is an _amazing_ AI!” Obi-Wan said, “you can almost forget she is one”.  
  
Ren said, “Sera is so much more than just an AI Master Kenobi, she is the ship and an extra member of the crew”.  
  
Anakin said, “it's like she is alive!”.  
  
“She is,” said Ren “our technology level it seems is perhaps a little more than advanced than yours, or maybe it is just different”.  
  
“Maybe just different,” said Obi-wan.  
  
“ _I got one where we can hide,”_ Sera said, _“there is a rather large Asteroid that we can hide under. It is thick with lead so it will shield us even more”.  
  
_ Ren nodded “where?”  
  
Sera told him, and Ren and Rik aimed the ship in that direction.   
  
She reported that they were currently under the ship looking for them and advised them to stay still and silent.  
  
“Can they see us?” Anakin asked.  
  
“No,” said Ren “nor sense us if we stay still, but let's just hope they don’t hang around we can only maintain the Cloak for an hour”.  
  
Rik frowned “I'm not picking up any lifeforms from the ship”.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded “battle droid probably, they have a Droid army”.  
  
Ren said, “Droids? Makes sense. I'm not picking up anything either, I’m more sensitive to such things than Rik is”.  
  
“ _There are Droids on that ship_ ” Sera confirmed “no _lifeforms_.”  
  
“Separatists,” Obi-Wan said, “try to avoid them as long as you can, you don’t know what you're up against “.  
  
“We have been in battle before you know,” Rik said.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “no doubt you have, but this isn’t your universe either”.  
  
Ren the calmer one said, “Master Kenobi is right Rik, it is best we try and avoid them rather than fight them”.  
  
Rik said, “I know but…well, you know me, Ren”.  
  
Ren said, “yes, I do”.  
  
Rik said, “how long can we remain cloaked Sera and could we make it Korriban under cloak?”  
  
Sera said, “ _no Rik, it is close but not that close_ ”.  
  
Rik nodded “fair enough…it’s making me edgy though. I mightn’t be as sensitive as Ren, but I can feel it too, and it’s making me edgy. I don’t like this, I’m the Darker side of RikRen, and I can feel the evil from the place! It’s trying to reach out to me”.

  
Ren looked at Rik “centre” he advised.  
  
Rik said, “I’m trying, but there is a dark presence in the Way, and it’s painful. That’s always been a bit of an issue with me”.  
  
Ren nodded “Sera take over for a bit “and then he turned to Rik “here take my hands and concentrate on me, let me loan you some of my strength Rik”.  
  
Rik nodded and did so.   
  
He wasn’t about to turn evil or anything, but he was as he said the Darker Side of Rikren so sometimes places with extreme darkness affected him some.   
  
It sensed that part in him and tried to get through his barriers, Ren been the Lighter side just found it painful and uncomfortable.  
  
Over the years the brothers had found ways of dealing with it, one of them calling on their bond and using it to shield each other.  
  
“ _Heart to heart, soul to soul, brother to brother, Counterpart to Counterpart_ ,” Ren said, “ _remember who we once were and maybe once again someday_.”  
  
Neither of them wanted to be One again, but they realised that deep inside of both, a part of them _wanted_ to be.   
  
And they realised it might happen once again someday because they didn’t know what would happen if one of them were to die and the other didn’t.  
  
“What are they doing?” Anakin asked as they both started to glow.  
  
“They’re a Corran Pair,” said Kaldor “they were One being once, members of their kind have a rare mutation that sometimes if the situation proves right instead of dying in something they should have died from, they get separated into two separate beings instead. It is quite rare, but it does happen, it leaves them with a bond that is closer than the bond between twins, I don’t fully understand it myself, you have to get them to explain it.”  
  
Ren spoke then “we’re effectively Counterparts, we share a soul, we’re learnt to shield each other, but we act as a feedback loop to one another sometimes, and sometimes share things like wounds and sickness and that sort of thing. Our fates are linked and always have been, and as a result, we can share each other's strength, it is difficult to explain, but as Kaldor said we are linked closer than twins”.  
  
“you share a soul?” Anakin asked.  
  
“yes,” Ren said, “we do” he took Rik's hands “open yourself to me Rik and I will try to shield you”.  
  
“Yes, Ren,” said Rik. Taking his brother's hands, he closed his eyes and linked his own aura with Ren’s.  
  
It was like doing _Aura Manipulation_ something they both could do, only Ren was better at it.  
  
A bright glow of pure light surrounded them both.  
  
Their eyes glowed blue. Rik opened himself to his counterpart and felt Ren’s calming presence surround him.  
  
Like Kayla, he always felt safe with Ren, and Ren was always walking beside him.  
  
“ _Remember who we once were and draw strength from that_ ,” said Ren quietly.  
  
Rik nodded “I try, Kayla’s right you know you should bottle this!”  
  
Ren chuckled “don’t think I can meditate a bit with me Rik and take some of my strength”.  
  
Rik nodded “I will”.  
  
Ren nodded, and for a moment, they just sat there sharing their strength and letting their bond surround them.  
  
“That is some power,” said Anakin then.  
  
Iselka looked at them and said, “they do that occasionally, it is part of who they are” she then said, “how far away are we from this ‘ _Korriban_ ’?” she asked of Sera.  
  
“ _About three hours like I said to Rik our cloak wouldn’t hold to then…and the ship seems to have stopped looking for us anyway, we could probably come out from hiding soon. It doesn’t appear to be anywhere near us anymore”.  
  
_ Iselka nodded “ok we’ll stay cloaked for as long as we can hold out but start moving away from the asteroid”.  
  
 _“At once Lady Iselka”_ Sera said.  
  
Anakin and Obi-wan watched this interchange, not used to travelling around on a small independently crewed ship and a Freighter at that they had been amazed how well Rik and Ren’s small crew of eight (and Sera) gelled together, everyone had their part, and everyone worked together to make sure the ship ran smoothly, Ren and Rik were the Captains and Co-Captain of the ship.  
  
Everyone listened to them.   
  
They had been a little wary at first because Rik said they usually took payment to do something like this, they now saw why it went into maintaining their ship and crew.  
  
Ren came out of his link with Rik and asked: “how long to Korriban, Sera?”  
  
 _“around three hours”_ she replied.  
  
“OK, “said Ren “ok maintain the Cloak as long as you can and try to get away from this area, I can still sense them in the area…and something else, far more sinister which is probably Korriban itself. I’m going to go meditate a bit and Rik, you're coming with me!”  
  
Rik chuckled “yes, Ren; I probably need to anyway”.  
  
“You don’t do it enough!” Ren said, “Sera take over, Anakin would you like to co-pilot with Sera for a bit?”  
  
Anakin not sure how to react looked at Obi-Wan, who nodded and then he said: “I would very much like to Master Ren”.  
  
Ren chuckled “humble response, but I bet you felt like saying ‘ _would I ever_! ‘go for it, Sera look out for him and take over the main piloting. Rik and I will be in the Meditation Chamber, Kayla’s asleep, so let her sleep and alert me when we get to Korriban”.  
  
“ _Yes, Master Ren_ ,” said Sera manifesting herself, taking Anakin and Obi-Wan by surprise as a blonde and incredibly beautiful angelic-looking woman, clad in a one-piece holographic bodysuit appeared and sat down at the controls.  
  
“Um,” said Anakin.  
  
“ _Sera_ ,” said Ren “that is how she manifests herself. We used to look a bit like her only male; she manifests herself a Corran because her original owner was”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “you mean she isn’t just an AI?”  
  
“No, she is _much_ more than that…” said Ren, he said to the woman “look after Anakin for a bit will you, he’ll co-pilot”.  
  
The woman nodded “I will, and Ren go get some rest”.  
  
“I will” and left the flight deck, and Rik followed him.  
  
Sera said, “they push themselves way too hard, especially Ren,” she smiled at Anakin then “ok I’ll look after you while you co-pilot this crate!”  
  
Anakin, still stunned by the woman said: “are you an angel?”  
  
“Me! Hell no,” she said, “although many would disagree with you on that point, Corran are Planar, but we aren’t angels…or if we are it is lesser angels”.  
  
“But if Rik and Ren looked like you once…how come?” Obi-Wan asked then just as curious.  
  
“It was due to the circumstances of how they came to be,” she said “Most Corran even when they get split end up near-human, or at least one of the Pair do, but sometimes they don’t” she paused “it is a mutation that only affects a small per cent of our race despite what people think”.  
  
“So, you think of yourself as _Corran_?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
She nodded “I am Corran…I have all the memories and experiences of my former owner when she became one with the Way, I got all of them, so yes I think of myself as Corran, and it is why I reached out for Rik and Ren when I sensed them, our people they are also very few and far between”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “that is …we have heard of such things but have never actually seen it, we didn’t realise you could do this!”  
  
Sera nodded “so tell me about this Korriban?”  
  
Obi-Wan said “ _Korriban shall be as it always was, a graveyard for the Darkest of the Sith Lords, still whispering within their tombs. It shall always be a source of evil, spawning threats throughout the Millennia_ , Darth Traya, as read in our archives, think that describes it well “it’s why the Order been a little wary of sending people into here to get the artefact.”  
  
Sera nodded “ok so basically it’s a dead world”.  
  
“In many ways yes and wreathed in legend,” said Obi-Wan “not sure if it is fully dead though”.  
  
Sera nodded “I see, thank you for sharing that, anything else you can tell me?”  
  



	13. Korriban- valley of the Sith Lords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crew arrive on Korriban.

“ **K** orriban,” Obi-Wan said “also known as Moraband, this place for centuries was the root of all evil, and many still say it is, Home of the Sith, haunted by their tombs and for many years was the home of the Sith Academy, it is as far as we know a dead world now haunted by Ghosts” he looked at Rik and Ren and nodded at Kayla ‘ are you sure you want to bring your Padawan along on this venture, I’m worried about you two as well, seeing you are in many ways naïve in the ways of the world, and this isn’t your universe”.  
  
“I hate how _everyone_ thinks we’re kids!” Rik grumbled.  
  
“Well, who else is going to go?” Ren asked, “and I did ask Kayla if she wanted to come, and she said yes, you're bringing _yours_ _,_ ” said Ren.  
  
“Yes, but Anakin is older and is more experienced and is probably about ready to take his final trials,” said Obi-Wan “ _yours,_ however”.  
  
Ren said “Kayla is our Apprentice, and she wanted to come, so we are taking her, speaking of which, Rik, Me, Kayla and Iselka are our party. Kaldor, Kimmie, Tee, and River are staying with the ship, Kaldor wanted to come, but we said no. Rik, Iselka, Kayla and I can all fight, well enough. We have fought beside each other as Master and Apprentice before, “he turned to Kayla “are you sure you are ready for this Kayla?”  
  
Kayla nodded “yes, Master Ren”.  
  
Ren nodded “very well then, stick close to us” he advised.  
  
“Yes, I will do so, Master,” she said.  
  
“Keep your Blade close and remember your training” Ren advised and then said, “Ok, let's do this! Sera open up please”.  
  
Sera obliged “we _are currently above what is known as the Valley of the Sith Lords,_ ” she said.  
  
“Thanks, Sera,” said Ren, adjusting his grey robes, Rik adjusted his black coat and peered out.  
  
“Spooky looking place” he remarked.  
  
“Yes” agreed Ren, as Kayla joined them, looking like a feminine version of Ren, it was clear Kayla adored and admired her Master.  
  
Obi-Wan had observed this, technically Rik and Ren were both responsible for Kayla’s training, but it was clear _whose_ apprentice she considered herself to _be_!  
  
“Wow!” she said “eerie, it’s kind of like that planet we were on with the Pirates”.  
  
Ren nodded “yes” as Iselka joined them.  
  
Kaldor asked ‘are you sure you Mystical types don’t need a _soldier_ with you?” he asked.  
  
Rik said, “no Ren’s right with this one Kaldor “as both Artoo and Bob joined them “this is something we ‘ _mystical types_ ’ are better suited to do by ourselves.”  
  
Kaldor said, “I still think you need a soldier, but very well”.  
  
Ren said, “we have all the weapons we need”.  
  
“You can take ‘ _Alice_ ’” he offered, that was one of his guns.  
  
“Alice?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“I’ll explain later,” said Rik with a chuckle “no we will be fine, Kaldor”.  
  
“Jedi _can_ fight Kaldor,” said Obi-Wan mildly “Master Rik is right though, this is probably something we are all better suited to do” he looked out and then walked down the ramp onto Korriban.  
  
The Dark Side of the Force was all around him, this was the ancient home of the Sith, they had all been told about this place, but he never expected to come here.   
  
He had to admit he was still concerned for the four aliens, they didn’t know what the Sith were capable of, they had nothing like them, it seemed in their own universe.  
  
To them _The Force_ or _The Way_ as they called it was neither good nor evil, it was how you chose to use it, there didn’t seem to be either a ‘ _Dark Side_ ’ or a ‘ _Light Side_ ’.  
  
Rik and Ren were _Grey_ ; they seemed to embody both sides, although Rik was darker and Ren lighter.  
  
Kayla described Ren as ‘ _light_ ’, and ‘ _safe’_ and Rik was _‘darker’_ and ‘ _edgier_.’  
  
Rik wasn’t Sith, but, neither was Ren, fully Jedi, and Obi-Wan had to admit he was a little worried on how well Anakin seemed to get on with the two aliens, the Council were concerned about him training Anakin as it was!  
  
Anakin joined his master, and they were soon joined by Rik, Ren, Kayla and Iselka, Rik seemed to have acquired a large rifle or something, slung across his back.  
  
Ren frowned at it and shook his head “I doubt that will affect some of the things we are going to find here Rik”.  
  
“Kaldor wouldn’t let me leave the ship without it,” said Rik “so I took it to keep him quiet”.  
  
Ren said, “you **know** how I feel about guns!”  
  
Rik said, “doesn’t mean you don’t know how to use one Ren and are quite a good shot on one regardless!”  
  
Ren sighed and turned to Kayla and then said “last chance Kayla, do you want to stay with the ship? We won’t hold it against you if you do” as he had given her something to help her sleep the night before and had even given themselves something seeing Korriban made them both uncomfortable ‘ _Grey_ ’ they might be but, he, like Rik, was finding Korriban uncomfortable.  
  
“No, I’m fine, but gee this place is spooky,” said Kayla “all those whispers, can you hear them, master Ren?”  
  
Ren said, “yes I can, but I have had a little more experience with that type of thing, remember Kayla you are a faucet and not a river use that how I showed you”.  
  
Kayla nodded “it is a little spooky”.  
  
“you hear them too?” Rik asked, “this place is giving me the wilies this place it is full of ghosts”.  
  
“Or more like presences,” Ren said, “Iselka, how about you?”  
  
“I am of the Sisterhood of the Void and have been trained to handle the whispers in the Void so I will be fine”.  
  
Ren nodded “maybe you can keep Kayla safe then”.  
  
She nodded “I will try”.  
  
“I am trying to shield myself and Rik,” said Ren “well rather _Rikren_ is, he is trying to protect us both, and due to that we are more closely bonded than usual, if one of us gets wounded, so will the other, Ren and I will shield each other, so if you can help Kayla it would be much appreciated”.  
  
She nodded” I will try”.  
  
“Thanks,” he said, “this is one of those situations when Rik and I’s bond shows up more, and we need to focus on each other to the exclusion of all else, it normally isn’t an issue when there is just the two of us but in the circumstances like this _Rikren_ takes over, he senses the danger and acts accordingly, but it also puts our bond up as well so we will feel each other’s wounds, and share them, so if something wounds one of us it will also wound the other, we are truly Counterparts at the moment”.  
  
Obi-wan nodded ‘fair enough maybe you two should stay with the ship then”.  
  
“and do _what_? Leave you and Anakin out here on your own? Master Kenobi, Ren and I are used to this, it is who we both are!” Rik said.  
  
““But” said Obi-Wan “it is not your universe”.  
  
Ren said, “you don’t understand, Rik and I are normally like this, only not so strongly, we sometimes share wounds, and that anyway it is what we are, we are a Corran pair it is why people think we are weak we have a permanent feedback loop pretty much, we share a soul Master Kenobi and we always will, it is not something we can help without it we would die, it is **WHO** we are if we come into any danger Rikren will take over to protect us we are his two halves after all, in extreme situations he just takes over.”   
  
Rik took off his black coat and shook it out and said “this will be covered in red dust by the end of this” he grumbled.  
  
Clad as he currently was in just his tunic and trousers, he was wearing a belt like what the Jedi wore.  
  
He had a small blaster attached to his waist and his two swords.  
  
Ren looked at him and said ‘seems to me you are finally getting your adult plumage’ as the blue and grey feathers down his back were no longer fluffy but were getting sleeker and fuller.   
  
Ren could see that he was starting to get his plumage across his back and shoulders.

“About bloody time!” said Rik, “I noticed that they were starting to get less fluffy, downy, and starting to get fuller and sleeker and thicken up maybe when Silas sees me next time, he won’t think I’m a bloody Fledgling now!”  
  
Ren smiled “it is very handsome” Rik pulled his sleeves back and unfurled his arm wings as well showing them off, like the ones down his back they were almost wings Artean couldn’t fly, but they could glide and quite well.  
  
“ _Very_ handsome,” said Ren with a nod “I seem so _boring_ compared to you!”  
  
Rik nodded and put his coat back on “you are not so bad you just look like a Dragonborn I noticed the scales on your back are getting thicker, brighter, and so is your mane down your back” as Ren had a mane of red hair down his back down to his tail, we seem to both getting our adult markings now”.  
  
“ _Mmm_ yeah,” said Ren “let’s go, gosh this place is spooky and all those whispers on the air”.  
  
“it’s not making it easy,” Rik said, adjusting the rifle on his back.  
  
“draw on our bond,” said Ren ‘ok Kayla, Iselka lets go”.  
  
Anakin said, “Master, this place, I have to agree with the brothers”.  
  
“Moraband, also known as Korriban,” Obi-wan said, “I have never set foot here myself, but it is the stuff of legends”.  
  
“More like Nightmares _,_ ” Rik said, “I have seen some spooky planets but this place”.  
  
“Stick close” Obi-Wan warned, he had to admit that he was more concerned about the two alien brothers and the two women than he thought he would be, this _wasn’t_ their universe.  
  
Ren said, “this place is _ancient_! And those whispers, it would drive you mad if you lived here long enough”.   
  
He came up to walk beside Obi-Wan, Ren was slower than his brother, but he was by no means unagile or as slow as people thought he was.  
  
He stood 5.8 or so and was lean, and although he did walk at a slower pace there was an odd grace to his movements, he usually walked at an ambling pace, but he could run if he needed to.  
  
He pulled out a tool and looked at it “it says that it’s this way” he pointed ahead of them with a four-fingered hand-tipped with short claws.  
  
“I’m surprised you don’t have wings” Obi-Wan remarked.  
  
“I do,” Ren said stopping “they just made of energy and light, we had them originally, can’t really fly too well with them though, they aren’t made for flying, more of a glider, like Rik is, Rik can’t fly too well either, he can just glide rather well, it is Kayla who can fly! Rik and I, we have some slightly odd abilities due to our heritage” he looked at the device than at Korriban “I feel like I am walking into hell”.  
  
Obi-wan said, “this is the ancient home of the Sith Lords”.  
  
“You really hate these Sith Lords, don’t you?” Ren asked.  
  
“Not hate _,_ ” said Obi-Wan “that is the path to the Darkside”.  
  
Ren said “that is where our opinions differ” he paused “how can I explain this, we are told not to ignore darker emotions, but to keep them in check but not to let them rule us but not to ignore them either, Dark Emotions are sometimes what you need to survive, it is where our more destructive powers come from. I am also a Shadowblade, so I know something about this”.  
  
“The Darkside is fuelled by Hate,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“ _There is no light side, there is no dark side, there is only the Way, but how you use it is your choice alone_ , that is one of our mandates, and that is where we differ _. You cannot have Balance without either, there can be no dark without light, for a shadow is caused by light, Stillness without Motion, Love without Hate, Courage without Fear, and to become One with the Way, you have to know all of those_”.  
  
“So, you can love?” Anakin asked, “and form attachments?’ making both Obi-Wan and Ren look at him.  
  
Ren said “Love is one of the strongest forces in the universe Anakin, so are Honour, Loyalty or courage. Love it makes fools of us all Anakin, but it can also make us stronger so yes, we can love, and we can form attachments, you mean you **can’t**?”  
  
“We can love….”.  
  
“But it is not encouraged,” Ren said, “as Love and Passion can lead to hate, which is a path to the Darkside or, so you have been told” he paused “it is where we differ”.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed, he had to admit he was a little worried about how much of an effect the alien brothers would have on his Padawan, Anakin much to his concern seemed fond of them both.  
  
“The Dark Lord that River spoke of,” Ren said, “I can imagine that coming from a place like this, it gives me the creeps”.  
  
Obi-Wan didn’t say anything he had not been able to find any mention of the Darth that River had spoken of it was like he had never existed, that made him wonder just how far in the past the two girls had come from although a lot of records had been lost but, a Sith Lord of such power, shouldn’t there be at least _some_ mention of him in the library? Which made him think that the girls had come from the Sith Wars or something.  
  
Ren looked at him then “you didn’t find any mention of the Sith Lord that River spoke of did you and that worries you.”  
  
“It is like he doesn’t exist,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“Maybe he doesn’t… **yet** ” said Ren and with those ominous words, he went and joined Rik, who slowed down his own pace to match his slower-moving brother, as he said he often walked slower than usual because usually, Ren was always beside him.  
  
“This place it gives me the Wilies” he remarked as Ren joined him “can you hear the whispers on the air?”  
  
Ren nodded “I can, it is what upset Kayla so much, she is not yet as ‘ _Grey’_ as we are, we _all_ can, us, Anakin and Obi-Wan, not sure about Iselka”.  
  
“I can,” said Iselka joining them.  
  
“How is Kayla holding up?” Ren asked.  
  
“She’s fine,” said Iselka “it is you _two_ I am worried about”.  
  
“We’re fine,” said Ren “Rik and I are used to this”.  
  
He smiled at her “we’ve been like this all of our lives”.  
  
Iselka said “I am a sister of the Void, we are taught to handle this, the whispers in the void, which can drive you mad if you’re a Sensitive, it will be much like I was trained for. Kayla is protected, don’t worry”.  
  
Ren said, “we’re all in for a tough time,” he said “from what I get from master Kenobi, Korriban is the root of all evil. But it makes me wonder, are the Sith **_EVIL_** or do they just follow a _different Code_? And does it really matter? They describe us as Grey and from what I have been reading, you would be classed as a Borderline Sith, and so would Rik to some extent and maybe even Rikren”.  
  
“ _Meh,_ ” said Rik “realise that too”.  
  
“Not everything is black or white,” Ren said, “especially Rik and I, seeing he is the darker side of me” he paused “I _wonder_?”  
  
Iselka said, “yeah, I guess”.


	14. Korriban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crew leave their ship.  
> Kayla of course wants to take photos and go Ghost hunting!!!

They walked in silence for a while, the planet was an eerie red place as they walked into what was known as ‘ _The Valley of the Dark Lords_ ’.  
  
“Wow is that a ruin up on the cliff?” Kayla asked, taking a quick photo of it.  
  
“That’s probably the old Sith Academy,” said Obi-Wan, frowning as Kayla zoomed in to get some better photos of it.  
  
“There is a perfect one of you master Ren,” she said as Ren had paused and was looking up at the ruins, he also wondered what else would show up on those photos, the place was full of ghosts or at least _presences_.  
  
Kayla flew into the air, her actions were taking Obi-wan by surprise as she wanted a closer look at the ruins, Ren obviously concerned for his apprentice took both Obi-wan and Anakin by surprise when he suddenly manifested wings of pure light and rose in the air after her, Ren couldn’t fly too well, but he could hover for short periods.  
  
“Don’t get to close” he warned her.  
  
“But isn’t that where we should be going?” she asked.  
  
“No,” he said, ‘what we are looking for is in the tombs I think”.  
  
Kayla said “it looks eerie” she looked at Ren as he was using his wings to hover and had to smile, she _loved_ Ren, her master he might be and older, and he had been CMO on a starship.   
  
However, there was still a part of him that was still naïve and innocent.   
  
He always found a sense of wonder in everything, coming to alien planets filled him with awe like hers.  
  
“Take your photos, Kayla,” he said, “I am sure that Master Kenobi does not **approve** ”.

Kayla giggled and said, “wonder if we could get closer”.  
  


“Not advisable,” Ren said, “place is full of ghostly presences enough as it is, _without_ going into the Sith Academy”.  
  
“ _Aww,_ ” she said.  
  
Ren chuckled “no Kayla, come down we are getting glared at by Master Obi-Wan”.  
  
She giggled” guess we are, what his deal anyway?”  
  
Ren said, “I should pull you up for that Kayla, for been so **_disrespectful_ **to a Jedi Master! But the truth of the matter is, he doesn’t understand us”.  
  
Kayla said “ok “grabbing a picture of Ren with his wings opened a sight she rarely saw they were seraph like.  
  
She and Ren landed again, and Obi-Wan looked at them both and said, “have we _quite finished_ wasting time?”  
  
Ren feeling like that he had also just been _chastised_ by a Jedi Master, although technically they were probably the same rank said “Kayla is thirteen and an orphan, master Kenobi and travelling to another world is a totally new experience for her, seeing she, like us, was born on Saris 4 and for some years was a homeless orphan, photography is a hobby of hers so as long as it doesn’t interfere too much with the mission at hand, I let her indulge in a little fun with her hobby, she also likes animals. I don’t know what you do, but that is how we do it, I also enjoy photography and drawing, writing, and painting”.  
  
“And _Ghost-Hunting_!” Rik teased “we both have a fondness for intrigue and solving mysteries, look we might do things differently to you, but it is how we do things, and it works for us,” he said, “show me those photos later _after_ we complete the mission!”  
  
Kayla grinned, she liked Rik and Ren’s offbeat style, the Jedaini of this world seemed a lot more, well… _Stricter_!  
  
“We should push on,” said Obi-Wan, this is Korriban it is not a good place to be if you are Jedi”.  
  
“The place is sure creepy” Rik agreed as he joined Ren and Kayla went to join Iselka again as Iselka had promised to protect Kayla.  
  
“That old Academy is creepy!” Kayla said to Iselka, oddly she and the T’ron woman had hit it off.  
  
Iselka said, “I have seen worse, little one”.  
  
“You have?” Kayla asked.  
  
Iselka nodded “I have seen many a haunted world’.  
  
Kayla said, “I guess you have”.  
  
“Stick close to me young one,” Iselka said, “the world is full of ghosts”.  
  
Kayla said, “I want to explore some more, but I guess it is not going to happen!”  
  
“Probably not” Iselka agreed “master Kenobi seems to be rather _determined_ to get what we came for than leave as soon as possible!”.  
  
Kayla said, “shame Master Ren. Master Rik and I want to go ghost hunting!”.  
  
Iselka said “you three, you make me smile despite myself!’   
  
Iselka was usually grim and severe, but it transformed her alien features when she did smile.   
  
She was T’ron.   
  
They were technically the enemy but Iselka was of a faction of T’ron who believed that they should have entered this universe and this war not as enemies but as allies.  
  
Iselka said, “I suggest that we do what Master Kenobi suggests though, he seems rather concerned for us all”.  
  
Kayla rolled her eyes and shrugged “the number of times that Master Kenobi has said that we don’t know what we are facing is starting to get a bit _dreary_! Yes, we are new to this stuff but so are Rik and Ren! naïve they both might be, but they know their stuff!”  
  
Iselka said, “he is only concerned about you all, that’s all”.  
  
“I know but, Rik and Ren aren’t exactly novice either,” said Kayla “or totally lacking in knowledge”.  
  
Iselka said “I know” she smiled at Kayla” just keep your head down and just follow orders though, Apprentice”.  
  
Kayla chuckled “Master Kenobi reminds me somewhat of an older and more experienced Ren or some of the teachers at the Academy”.  
  
Iselka nodded as Kayla went to join Ren, she felt safe around him.  
  
Ren smiled at her and then indicated the cave ahead of them “our destination, this appears to be a dead world in many ways, but I am picking up life in the caves”.  
  
Kayla nodded “no doubt, shame we’re not going to be able to go Ghost Hunting though Master Ren”.  
  
“Not here I think, not a good idea Padawan, we get what we came for and leave. That is the best action here” he looked at the ruins on the cliff “although that would be interesting to explore!”.  
  
Kayla said, “I wish you would open your wings more Master Ren, they are beautiful! You really look like you belong to an angelic planar Elder race then”.  
  
“Only half of one” he reminded her “we’re only ever One when we are projecting Rikren”.  
  
“Whose also beautiful!” she said.  
  
“Yes well” he shrugged "no we shouldn’t go ghost hunting on _Korriban_ , not the best place to do so although the thought is tempting!” he pulled out his tracking tool again feeling the dread of the place in his hearts, he had two as did Rik few people knew that though, most Corran did “looks like these caves are our destination folks!!!”


	15. Korriban-The Tombs of the Sith Lords.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crew enter the Tombs of Korriban

They all stood outside the caves trying to decide whether to enter or not there was a feeling of dread surrounding them all and they could all feel it.  
  
It was getting dark now though, so they had to decide soon.  
  
“We enter,” said Iselka taking charge as she didn’t feel the dread as much as the rest of them did.  
  
“Very well,” said Obi-Wan “be on your Guard, this planet may be not as dead as it looks, and a lot of these caves are tombs, so there may be ghosts.”  
  
“Force ghosts?” Ren asked.  
  
“yes,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“There are whispers on the air, and presences all around us, I would not be surprised if there are ghosts,” said Ren, “and they probably aren’t the only things in these caves, we go in, we make camp, and we rest, and try to get the artefact in the morning, we have an idea where it is”.  
  
“Do we?” asked Rik.  
  
“yes, we do,” said Ren as they entered the caves cautiously, Obi-Wan and Anakin insisted that they go; first, both Jedi Knights went in with their hands on their swords.   
  
They both heard them go off at the same time, Rik, and Ren both ran in their own blades ignited and saw both Obi-Wan and Anakin take something down that looked like a large worm of some sort between them.  
  
Rik and Ren attacked another, and a bolt of black fire came from another direction.   
  
They saw Iselka as the Void Sister cast two lots of fire out of her hands, making both Anakin and Obi-Wan look at her warily.  
  
“Timely arrival Iselka,” said Ren who was holding a blue double-bladed lightsabre, Rik was holding two red coloured single ones, which had clearly been altered some.  
  
Iselka ignited her own blade which was also red and looking like it was made of flame and said: “Kayla’s outside, taking down her own, I think it was a larva”.

Kayla ran in then her pink blade still ignited and said “there were _two_ of them! Bob got the other one!” as the little droid rolled in.  
  
Rik said, “well done, Bob!”  
  
“They look like some type of worm,” said Ren looking at the body.  
  
“It is they live in caves,” said Obi-Wan “you find them all over the place”.  
  
Rik nodded “I hate giant bugs! So does Ren! It’s a creature like this that are currently attacking our universe” he kicked it and then chucked some lightning at it.  
  
“ _Force lightning_?” Anakin asked, amazed.  
  
“That is a power of the Dark Side,” Obi-Wan said.  
  
“So!” said Rik “we both can do it!”.  
  
“Rik” Ren said, “like I said there is no _Dark Side_ and no _Light Side_ where we come from there is only the Way or the Force as you call it and yes” his own hands lit up with lightning “we both can do it!”   
  
Obi-Wan looked concerned, but Anakin said, “you mean, you can use both sides of the Force!”  
  
Ren suddenly spun around and shot two lots of lighting out of his hands, there was a screech, and something fell off the roof they saw it was another one of the creatures.  
  
“Call it what you will,” said Ren “but yes we can use what you call _both_ sides of the Force! So can Iselka!”.  
  
“Your what is known as _Grey Jedi_!” said Obi-Wan then “neither light nor dark but both!”  
  
Ren said “there is neither in our universe, there is just the Way. Call us what you will, but that is how it is. We can use both, you cannot have darkness without light, good without evil, stillness without motion, Chaos without Law” he looked around “we best move I sense more of those wormlike things coming”.  
  
Anakin said “they can use _both_ sides of the Force! Master! That **proves** it!”  
  
“Proves what Anakin,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“That it is possible!” he said running after Rik and Ren.  
  
They could both move surprisingly fast considering their odd alien forms.  
  
Iselka pulled out her blaster and shot behind them they heard a screech and then another as the alien woman took out two more of the wormlike things, “Run Kayla” she said.  
  
Kayla nodded and obeyed and bolted after Rik, Ren, Anakin and Obi-Wan, they heard more shots go off.  
  
“ _Iselka_!” called Kayla.  
  
“Coming” Iselka called out and very soon she joined them with Bob at her heels.  
  
“We have to block this entrance!” said Iselka “there are about a dozen or so out there!”  
  
Ren nodded. Before Anakin’s and Obi-Wan’s eyes, he and Rik working together pulled down some rocks and blocked the entrance.  
  
The brothers glowed briefly with golden light and then nodding they separated.  
  
“So how do we get out now,” asked Anakin.  
  
“We’ll find another way,” said Rik “there were about a dozen of those creatures out there…maybe more, the place must be crawling with them”.  
  
“They sent apprentices down here to be tested and if they failed…” Ren said indicating a body (not much more than a pile of bones and rags now) “no wonder the place is full of Ghosts and whispers”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “that is what the Sith were like if you read the histories Master Ren”.  
  
Ren said, “I _did_ …how do you think I _knew_ that? Not to mention I can sometimes pick up impressions from the past”.  
  
Rik said, “he’s always been our more mystical side”, he looked at the entrance which was now blocked with boulders “I _**hate**_ Giant Bugs!!!” he muttered “brings back bad memories”.  
  
Ren said, “we will find another way-out Rik, “he pulled out his device and looked at it “we’re on the right track” just as Iselka collapsed.  
  
“Iselka!” said Rik grabbing the medical bag that he and Ren always carried and pulled out a device and ran a scan over her “ _poison_! Why didn’t you tell us that you have been bitten!”.  
  
“I didn’t feel it until now…” she coughed.  
  
Rik said “lay still! We’ll have to neutralise it! he pulled out a strip of cloth and wound it tightly around her arm and then said, “this should stop it from spreading further whilst we get it out of you!” acting quickly Rik tore her shirt from her shoulder and they all saw the mark on her shoulder from where she had been bitten and then said “lay still Iselka! If you move too much it’ll go to your heart!” and without another word, he started to use his healing powers to draw the poison out of Iselka “Ren boost me, could you?”  
  
Ren said, “do you want me to take over Rik?”  
  
Rik said, “no I have done this before, just boost me a bit will you, we may need your powers later”.  
  
Ren nodded and bent over Iselka, took Rik's hand, and said: “share some of my power Rik”.  
  
Rik nodded and did so, “ _Brother to brother,_ ” he said softly.   
  
Ren supported Iselka and did some minor aura manipulation to keep her calm. Rik worked to get the poison out of her.  
  
“What are they doing, Master?” Anakin asked.  
  
“They are healing her,” said Kayla “I so want to be able to do that myself one day!”  
  
Ren said, “you will but probably not as good as Rik and I can, or maybe you will be able to but in a separate way to us… Rik and I share a soul remember?”  
  
Obi-Wan said, “I can heal a little too…but nothing like that”.  
  
Rik said “there…done, “he pulled out another device and put it on Iselka’s arm and nodded “cleared, but she’s going to need some rest and put herself into a healing trance or something”.  
  
Ren nodded “I put her to sleep”.  
  
Rik nodded “ok fair enough, one of us is going to have to carry her though”.  
  
“I will do that,” said Ren.  
  
Rik nodded “ok if we run into anything though…”  
  
Ren said, “what was the one thing Ondrina always told us when you walk with the Way it matters not”.  
  
“I guess,” said Rik “ok stay back”.  
  
Ren nodded and picked up Iselka, and they walked further into the Caves, looking around them.  
  
“This is pretty amazing though” Rik remarked “it be the type of caves I would want to explore more if I could, makes my hackles rise though”.  
  
Ren said, “same here.”   
  
“You don’t have _hackles_!”   
  
“Yes, I do, what you think my mane is!” Ren countered.  
  
“ _Mane_?” Anakin asked.  
  
“I have a mane down my back,” said Ren “and ridges, well their more like small scales”.  
  
Rik said, “yeah, Ren has a mane, I have feathers and lots of them!”  
  
“Feathery Raptor,” Ren said with a grin.  
  
“Yeah, I do kind of look like a feathery Raptor,” Rik said as they walked through the caves.  
  
“We need someplace where we can rest and let Iselka sleep,” said Ren.  
  
“We’re in the caves of Korriban!” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“And Iselka _needs_ to rest,” said Ren with a frown “look I know it isn’t exactly the safest place to make camp, but Iselka needs to rest she’s gone into a meditative trance or something.”  
  
“Not to mention your blocked probably our only entrance out,” said Anakin.  
  
“There is always another way,” said Ren.  
Kayla said, “these caves are huge!”  
  
Rik nodded “yep and not as dead as they look, so don’t wander Kayla”.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside the Tombs of Korriban.

“ _Wow,_ this cave is sure spooky!” Kayla said to Ren a little later as he and she wandered around, taking note of their surroundings, it was indeed very spooky and made them both nervous.  
  
“The Dark Side of the Force as Obi-Wan said,” Ren said.  
  
“Master Ren, what exactly is the Dark side?” Kayla asked, “and how come there is one here?”  
  
“You know what I don’t rightly know,” said Ren.  
  
“He seems so…I don’t know, _staid_ ,” said Kayla “I mean you can be as well, but not like he is”.

“Different Universe Kayla,” said Ren “different philosophies”.  
  
She nodded “I know”.

“And what do you mean I can be ‘ **staid** ’?” he asked.  
  
Kayla giggled “you can sometimes be”.  
  
Ren said, “I guess I can be… _sometimes_ … but that is who I am”.  
  
Kayla nodded “I know, and I love you as you are”.  
  
He smiled at her as the two of them force jumped across a small rock face, exploring the cavern.  
  
Iselka was still weak, so Rik said that he would watch over her and Obi-Wan and Anakin had gone for a scout as well, to check their surroundings.  
  
“The Artefact is somewhere around here,” Ren said “somewhere in these caverns I’m guessing a bit further in though and we may have to climb, stick close Kayla, we may find ourselves in a situation that we aren’t used to handling.  
  
“Yes, Master Ren,” she said, “such as?”  
  
“Traps perhaps, that sort of thing,” he said as she followed him, he wasn’t that much taller than she, but he was lean, wiry, and compact.  
  
Ren was the more humanoid out of he and Rik but still not human, he was kind of Feline, as he said he had a mane.   
  
It was long and thick and worn in a top knot that covered his small crest which also formed into tiny, ‘ _almost horns’_ , Ren described himself as looking Dragonkin, he stood and walked upright, but tended to hunch a little, he had a long tail which was pretty powerful, Kayla didn’t care that he wasn’t human, nor was she, he was her Master, and she loved him.  
  
“There isn’t a lot here though” she remarked as she joined him on a rock, and Ren looked up the cliff face.  
  
“Possibly up there” he remarked.  
  
“You think?”  
  
“I am sensing something up there,” he said, “high up on the rocks”.  
  
“I could fly up there and have a look,” said Kayla.  
  
“No,” said Ren “no we go together, we may have to climb though, just as well Rik and I remembered to bring the climbing kit…not sure if Obi-Wan and Anakin did”.  
  
“Probably think they didn’t need it,” she said.  
  
“No, more likely forgot” he paused and then observed the cliff face, “shouldn’t be too hard a climb, Rik and I can scale something like that easily, we like to cave as you know so this wouldn’t be that hard a challenge”.  
  
Kayla nodded she knew that they liked to cave, she had done some caving with them.  
  
Ren said, “We should head back, Anakin and Obi-Wan should be back by now, follow me, Kayla”.  
  
They headed back to the campsite.   
  
Iselka was still asleep, and Rik appeared to be meditating something he rarely did unless he was looking for guidance.   
  
This place was clearly giving him the wiley’s as well.  
  
Anakin and Obi-Wan were sitting together discussing something in lowered voices as if afraid that something might hear them, and they maybe were.  
  
Ren pulled out his bedroll and lay it on the ground.   
  
Then his sleeping bag unnecessary luxuries they may seem, but, Ren had never been able to sleep comfortably on a hard floor, and he liked having them with him.  
  
Rik had already laid his out, and that was what he was sitting on meditating, Kayla went about laying out hers.  
  
Ren nodded at her and went around lying down forcefield emitters, he didn’t trust them to be safe without them.  
  
Anakin got up from where he had been sitting with Obi-Wan and came over to Ren and said, “you're done this before?”  
  
“No, we like to go caving though, so we come generally prepared” Ren replied.  
  
“ _Caving_?”  
  
“Exploring caves,” said Ren “it’s kind of a hobby”.  
  
“Hobby?” Anakin asked.  
  
“Yes, things you do for fun, and for relaxation” he replied.  
  
“Exploring Caves?” he asked.  
  
“Yes, and ghost hunting” he replied.  
  
 _“Ghost_ _Hunting_?” Anakin asked.  
  
Ren nodded “yes, why do you think Kayla wanted to explore those old ruins?”  
  
Anakin said, “where do you get the time?”  
  
Ren chuckled “I _like_ looking for ancient lore and artifacts.”  
  
Anakin said, “your world must be very different from this one”.  
  
Ren said “maybe we are a little less…well _intense_ , we’re not considered Military in our universe…we are considered civilian. Public Servants. Which is why you find us doing what we do. Flying starships and doing what Rik and I do. Freelancing and offering our ship and crew to people”.  
  
Anakin said, “the Council were a little concerned that you would normally ask for payment for doing something like this”.  
  
Ren said “well normally we would…but that is not always the case, it depends on the job. It’s not for selfish means though, we are still paying off our ship! Also, we do need to maintain our ship and crew. We aren’t mercenaries, but we ask for payment on some stuff, and we get it because we get it done! And our crew all gets a share of our earnings, but we’re managed to get something of a reputation, so people generally come to us now”.  
  
Anakin nodded “your ship is sort of something I dreamed of as a boy on Tatooine”.

Ren laughed “you love to fly as much as Rik, and I do”.  
  
Anakin nodded and joined Ren as he turned on the forcefields and continued “I would listen to the stories of the spacers that ended up on Tatooine on how they fought battles and transported Jedi Knights! And I would dream of doing that one day”.  
  
“You also were quite good at Pod Racing too,” said Ren “yes, I looked you and Obi-Wan up out of curiosity wanting to know more about you.”  
  
Anakin said, “I was only a boy…and I was a slave”.  
  
Ren nodded “I know, Kayla thinks that her mother was a Slave as well, she doesn’t remember a lot about her, she was only about five when she lost her”.  
  
Anakin nodded “she mentioned that”.  
  
“Kayla likes you. She likes making new friends”.  
  
Anakin had to smile “I’ll give her that, and she knows how to use those wings! She also fights well considering her experience and age”.  
  
Ren had to laugh and replied, “we are both rather happy how she’s coming along”.  
  
Anakin nodded “but you two I can’t figure out; you can use both sides of the Force! That worries Master Kenobi a lot, that you can”.  
  
“Yet it doesn’t seem to worry you,” said Ren “well not so much at least”.  
  
“We’ve been told that it’s impossible or that it is dangerous, that it is the path to the Dark Side, yet you both use it and without fear,” he said.  
  
Ren said, _“there is no dark side nor light side, there is only the Way, how you choose to use it, is up to you,_ that is our philosophy in a nutshell”.  
  
Anakin nodded “sometimes I feel that way”.  
  
“I know you do so be mindful of such thoughts,” Ren said.  
  
Anakin said, “I should be, shouldn’t I?”  
  
“Yes, you should”.  
  
Anakin said, “so what do you think of all this?”  
  
“What do you mean?” Ren asked.  
  
“The artefact do you know where it is?”  
  
“What makes you think I do?” Ren asked.  
  
“You do, don’t you?”  
  
Ren looked thoughtfully at Anakin and nodded “the artefact is upon that cliff face” he said, indicating the one he and Kayla had been scouting.  
  
Anakin said “it is? How do you know?”  
  
“Because I sensed it,” said Ren “it is up there…did you bring climbing equipment?”  
  
“yes,” said Obi-Wan joining them “how do you know though?”  
  
“I sense it, “said Ren.  
  
Obi-Wan looked thoughtful and then said, “I worry about you and Riks sensitivity towards the Dark Side”.  
  
Ren said, “there is none, there is meant to be a Balance in all things, no Darkside, no Light”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “the council they are concerned about your ideas, the ones you and Rik share”.  
  
Ren looked thoughtful and then shrugged “we are aliens to your galaxy; does it really matter?”  
  
“Well, no, I guess not…but still the Council are concerned,” said Obi-Wan “especially with the possibility of a Sith Lord around”.  
  
Ren said, “we are not Sith and as to the Sith Lord…well I would look closer to home”.  
  
“Pardon?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
Ren refused to offer more and nodded at a cliff “that is where the artefact is” he said, “I’m going to go retire for the night and meditate a little”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “very well, Master Ren”.  
  
Ren nodded and went to join his brother and sat down beside him, Rik looked up and said, “you know where it is?”  
  
“yes,” said Ren.  
  
“You sense it too,” said Rik.  
  
“Yes,” said Ren “I also sense that it is our key home or at least part of it”.  
  
Rik nodded “so I wasn’t the only one who sensed that”.  
  
“No, you aren’t,” said Ren.  
  
“What does that mean Ren?”  
  
“That we are stuck here until we find the Way home”.  
  
“We are going to have to tell Obi-Wan that,” Rik said.  
  
“Yes, he is not going to like that,” said Ren “meditate with me, Rik”.  
  
He nodded “already doing so”.  
  
Ren nodded and settled down and lowered his head and closed his eyes, humming a little.

Ren awoke to Anakin muttering in his sleep, sat up amazed, looked at him, and said, “Umm you ok, Anakin?”  
  
“Huh?” said Anakin.  
  
“You were muttering in your sleep,” said Ren.  
  
Anakin looked up and saw Ren standing over him well it sounded like Ren, but he seemed to be glowing like an angel.  
  
“Ren,” he said sleepily blinking and saw Ren clearly.  
  
“You ok?” Ren asked.  
  
“Yes…why?”  
  
“As I said you were muttering and seemed distressed,” Ren said, “and your auras all over the place…you sure you ok?”  
  
“yes” he replied.  
  
Ren said “you have dreams, don’t you? Ones you don’t understand or worry you a little?”  
  
Anakin said, “it’s this place”.  
  
Ren said, “I have to give you that, but that was not what you were dreaming about”.  
  
“Err,” said Anakin.  
  
“Maybe the Way is trying to tell you something,” said Ren “as I often tell Rik, you do not ignore dreams, you try and work out what they are telling you or warning you about as the case may be”.  
  
Anakin said, “I can’t even remember what I was dreaming about, to be honest”.  
  


“It must have distressed you somewhat though…your aura is erratic and is showing signs of stress”.  
  
“It’s this place,” Anakin said “Korriban”.  
  
Ren nodded “perhaps…but maybe it is something else as well”.  
  
Anakin said, “you sound like Master Kenobi!”   
  
The smile that crossed Ren’s alien face seemed to light up the area, and he chuckled “Not sure if Master Kenobi would agree with that!”  
  
A slight smile crossed Anakin’s face “he probably wouldn’t”.  
  
Ren said, “want me to calm your aura a bit?”  
  
“You can do that?”  
  
“I’m a Healer…but you have to trust me”.  
  
“I do trust you,” he said.  
  
“Then take my hands and let me do so,” said Ren offering his hands out.  
  
Anakin took them noting that they had four long fingers which were tipped with small stubby claws, which he obviously kept well-trimmed, it made him realise that they were aliens.  
  
Ren’s hands were warm, though, and they didn’t seem reptilian at all.   
  
He remembered Ren saying that they weren’t cold-blooded and had mammalian traits if he had scales at all they were either smooth or small or both.  
  
“Relax,” said Ren “forget how alien I am for a moment and concentrate on our shared link with the Force”.  
  
Anakin said “I’m used to aliens Master Ren... I just find it hard to relax, especially here!”  
  
Ren nodded “very well, relax my friend, I will find it hard to work with your aura if you don’t” he frowned at the image of darkness he was getting, he kept getting it. 

He couldn’t understand why what was going to happen to this bright young man? Who shone so brightly in the Way?  
  
Anakin nodded and tried, and they both glowed briefly for a little, and then Ren unlinked hands “better now?” he asked.  
  
Anakin nodded “yes much, but you shine so brightly! Are you sure you’re not an angel?”  
  
Ren laughed “no, although it is easy to mistake us for one, ok I have rebalanced your aura so you should be feeling better soon”.  
  
“Thanks, Ren,” said Anakin.  
  
Ren nodded and went back to his bag and said, “hope that helps”.  
  
“It does,” said Anakin.  
  
“ok get some sleep, think we’re in for a long day tomorrow,” said Ren.  
  
“I think so too,” Anakin said, “thankyou Ren” and went back next to Obi-Wan the rest of the night was quiet, but they were all still uneasy and thus slept uneasily as well.  
  



	17. The Next Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Party start their final push to find the artefact and Ren presents a question to Obi-Wan that he can't really answer.

“We believe the Artefact is upon that rockface,” said Ren to the group the next morning, pointing the rockface.  
  
“How do you know that?” Anakin asked, looking at the rockface and mentally scaling it in his head, too high to force jump but should be an easy enough climb.  
  
“We can feel it,” said Rik standing up and putting his backpack on and continued “yes I know you worry about our Darkside sensitivity, but it has made us able to sense that artefact, also we don’t think it is from your universe”.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at him “what do you mean by that?”  
  
“We think it is from ours,” Ren said, “which is possibly why you couldn’t find it before but can now”.  
  
“ _Your_ universe?” Obi-Wan asked.  
  
“Yes, we think it is our key home,” Ren said, “or part of it”.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “very well, but it is registering as Sith to us”.  
  
“Probably because we don’t have a ‘ _Darkside_ ’ or a ‘ _Lightside_ ’ in our universe,” Rik said, “Times like this I wish I could fly!”  
  
“You can’t?” Obi-Wan asked he seen Rik's wings “, but you have wings!”  
  
“I can glide with them, not fly, their too small,” said Rik.  
  
“Can’t you boost them somehow?” Anakin asked, “with the Force?”  
  
Rik laughed “I can, to some extent…but not to the extent of that cliff”.  
  
Ren said, “We could probably climb most of the way and Rik, and I could probably use our wings to reach the top and bring everyone else up” he looked thoughtful.  
  
“I bet I could fly up there!!!” said Kayla.  
  
“No, Padawan, I am not letting you go into a possible Sith trap before the rest of us,” said Obi-Wan.  
  
Ren said, “you probably could Kayla, but I agree with Master Kenobi at the moment, this isn’t our universe, and we do not know what to expect, so I would rather we went; first, Rik and I can boost our ability to fly if we need to, Iselka can you shapeshift?”  
  
Iselka said, “no, I know you all believe we can, and to some extent, we can, but it is more like a camouflage or something, we can’t shift our whole shape like the Dorenganza”.  
  
“Your kind of like us then,” said Ren “we can’t really either, we have a common ancestor, but it seems it was the DG who got all the shapeshifting ability”.  
  
Kayla said, “and I still haven’t gotten the ability to shapeshift yet, so I mightn’t get it”.  
  
“Or you're just a late bloomer,” said Ren “you were born on Saris, and we don’t even know what your clan is, it is possibly Griffin, Gryphon, or Hippogriff but could also be Lion or something judging by your tail”.  
  
  
Kayla said “yeah” she frowned at her tail which was definitely lionlike “maybe my powers just won’t develop”.  
  
“Possibly,” he said.  
  
“You know Ren, I just realised something,” said Kayla “you look almost Feline as well!”  
  
“I’m Dragonborn, so I am not surprised,” he said, looking at the cliff “ok we climb”.  
  
“Sounds good to me,” said Rik, who had put a harness on and was pulling out their climbing gear and throwing it using his powers to catch where he wanted it too and Ren did the same, they liked to cave, so they had some practise at doing this.  
  
“ ** _Geronimo_**!” Rik said, catching his rope and swing across the crevice using his wings to balance himself, Rik's wings were small with blue and grey feathers, Kayla just flew across after him.

Ren nodded, did the same, and said “you can Force Jump it” he called out to Iselka, Anakin and Obi-Wan “just make sure you don’t miscalculate it’s a bit of a drop! Or you can just swing across like we are, we’ll send the ropes back across”.  
  
Iselka said, “I’m fine. I bought my rocket pack”.  
  
“Oh yes I forgot you had that” said Ren “we err, forgot ours!”  
  
“Standard issue for all T’ron,” said Iselka attaching her pack and turning it on and joined them on the other side of the crevice which although not wide was deep and Ren sensed some form of life living down there, more of those wormlike creatures.  
  
Anakin judged the distance and then jumped, and Ren threw the rope to Obi-Wan who caught it and holding onto it swung across.  
  
“You two are having a bit of trouble with your connection to the Force here, aren’t you?” Ren asked, “especially you, Master Kenobi”.  
  
“ _Aren’t_ you?” Obi-Wan asked, “it is tainted by the Dark Side”.  
  
“Nope,” said Rik “not really, well I’m not, don’t know about Ren, Kayla or Iselka”.  
  
“Not really,” said Ren “although I am definitely going to need to meditate once we leave here…. there is evil here and we can all feel it encroaching on us all”.  
  
Iselka said, “I’m used to much worse”.  
  
Kayla said, “I’m ok for now”.  
  
“You can’t tell me that you aren’t suffering any ill effects from being here!” Obi-Wan said.  
  
“Not our universe, We can use both sides!” said Rik “just feels a little strange that’s all, but it’s been like that since we got here, think we’re still attuning somewhat”.  
  
Ren nodded “yes once we attune it probably won’t even affect us. We can use both sides, remember?”  
  
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other.   
  
They didn’t know what to think about that.  
  
The alien brothers and their crew were a puzzle, not entirely dark but not fully light. It didn’t seem to worry them.  
  
Obi-Wan said, “you are Mystics I think”.  
  
Ren laughed “people have called _me_ a ‘Mystic’ in my time!”

“You can use both sides of the Force, and it doesn’t seem to affect you” he remarked.  
  
“Should it?” said Rik.  
  
“We all should be wary of the Dark Side,” Obi-Wan said, “The Sith were Evil”.  
  
Rik looked thoughtful, and he and Ren looked at one another and then Ren said “were they? Or did they simply have a different view to you? _Were_ they the enemy? Or was it simply because you didn’t understand each other?”  
  
Obi-Wan had to admit he didn’t really have an answer for that right now, especially to two aliens from another universe and possibly, time  
  
Ren continued “there are three factions in our universe, The Alliance, which most of us are of, including the Jedaini, The Dominion who is a powerful faction in themselves but although not the enemy we don’t really get on that great with them, but we are not at war with them, and then there are the Independent Worlds, who are basically worlds not allied with either of the other two but interact with both, that is what I mean, _were_ the Imperials and the Sith, actually the enemy? It seems to me now it is the Separatists who threaten you all”.  
  
“He has a point Master,” said Anakin to Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan had to admit he was right.  
  
“You have had a one-thousand-year peace, and it seems to me, it is the Separatists who are trying to pull that apart” Ren continued “look maybe I feel this way because I am not originally of your universe…but it is worth thinking on isn’t it?” he looked at the cliff “but right now let’s get this artefact!”

Rik looked up the cliff and said, “we should be able to climb it if we take it slow, there seem to be quite a few handholds and that, let us lead the way, Ren and I often go caving together “.  
  
“Very well,” said Obi-Wan looking nervously around “are any of you feeling like we are being watched?”  
  
Ren nodded “we probably are. This place it is full of Ghosts, presences, impressions left behind”.  
  
“Ren’s always been more sensitive to such things,” said Rik “it’s why he likes to Ghost Hunt”.  
  
Ren said, “I can almost see some of them out of the corner of my eye” he tested his rope and then nodding he attached it to his harness and started to climb up the cliff making it look comfortable with his lizard-like build, tail, powerful legs, and long arms.

  
"follow me up, Kayla you ok?” as he noticed that their apprentice had opened her wings and was hovering nearby.  
  
“Yes,” she said, “you sure you don’t want me to fly up ahead?”  
  
“Yes,” he said, “stay with us.”  
  
“ok,” she said.  
  
“Iselka, how about you?” he asked the T’ron, who was climbing up behind them.  
  
“I’m fine,” said Iselka, “my rocket pack has limited power, so I’ll climb up a bit and then go ahead”.  
  
“Ok” said Ren “Anakin, Obi-Wan?”  
  
“Right behind you” called out Anakin.  
  
“Ok,” said Ren.  
  
“Wow, this is an amazing view! It’s more than just a bunch of caves there are all sorts of other stuff in here as well, statues and that, like the rest of Korriban,” Kayla said who was hovering in the air on her spread wings “I can see a whole bunch of those slug-like creatures down there, this place is huge!”  
  
Ren said, “don’t get distracted, Kayla”.  
  
“Their called Klor’Slugs,” said Obi-Wan who was behind Rik he looked down “your right though there is a whole colony of them down there”.  
  
“Guessing they like the Force,” said Rik.  
  
“No, they're just ravenous,” said Obi-Wan.

“And like to eat people as well obviously,” said Ren.  
  
“Yes, that too,” said Obi-Wan “they used to test Sith apprentices in these Tombs”.  
  
“That’s obvious,” said Ren “given the number of skeletons and that around and presences”.  
  
Rik said “we get stuff like that in our own universe there is this race of bugs which are currently invading it, their greedy and destroy any world they touch! And there are the giant Scorpions of course and the T’ron”.  
  
“The T’ron?” said Obi-Wan.  
  
“Iselka’s race” said Rik.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at the woman “you’re the enemy?”  
  
“No, my people are,” said Iselka “I’m part of what is known as The Fifth Column, we are a group of T’ron who believed we should be allies, not enemies”.  
  
“The T’ron for all their tenacity and the fact that they are invading our galaxy now are an honourable race, and well, to be honest, worthwhile opponents,” Rik said, “and there are those who believe as Iselka does that we should be allies, not enemies”.  
  
Iselka said, “my people are not without honour, and we do not like the Scorpions or the Bugs any more than those of the Alliance do. But we have come in on the wrong side in this war”.  
  
“Which is what Ren meant…were the Imperials really the enemy or was it simply because you didn’t understand each other?” Rik asked.  
  
Ren continued “Iselka’s brother Praetor Tarn believes that his sister is a Beacon of Hope, which is why he begged us to take her with us. Tarn is an honourable and noble man we consider him a friend and a powerful ally”.  
  
“So, you're technically the enemy?” Anakin asked Iselka.  
  
Iselka said, “not by choice, by circumstance”.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything can be solved with a Banana!  
> The party get to the room where the artefact is...but there is a problem

They climbed a bit further with no real incident apart from a near slip on some fungus or something, but they got to a ledge under the opening they were trying to get to and waited for Iselka to join them who had gone ahead and looked around a bit.

“Anything in there” Ren asked, helping Anakin up and then pulling up his rope and recoiling it.

Iselka landed on the ledge and said: “not alive that I could see, but there seems to be some sort of battle droid or something there… and what looks like an ancient control panel”.

“An ancient control panel?” Ren asked, “in a cave?”

“You get a lot of stuff like that around here, and this is not just a cave it is a Tomb,” said Obi-Wan, taking a sip of his water bottle “ancient battle droids, control panels, ancient technology”.

Ren looked thoughtful “same in some parts of our universe as well, stuff leftover from the Elder races and ancient civilisations which have disappeared from memory”.

Rik took a bite of his protein bar and said, “did you see any indication of the Artefact?”

“No, but I sensed it,” said Iselka “it is in there somewhere”.

Ren pulled out a banana, peeled it, and ate it “you had a banana?” Rik asked, amazed.

Ren shrugged and pulled out another and threw it at Rik who caught it. 

Ren said “you know how much I like bananas! It’s possibly a bit overripe and a little bruised…” making Kayla giggle.

“Where’d you get a banana?” Rik asked.

“Storage,” said Ren “Kimmie took the rest to make a banana cake”.

Rik laughed and peeled it “don’t care if it is a little ripe and bruised”.

Ren laughed, and they sat and enjoyed their bananas “no doubt there will be some banana cake sitting there when we get back!” Ren said.

Kayla chuckled and pulled out an apple and ate that they just sat around getting their breath back and recovering from the climb for a moment.

Iselka nodded and pulled out some nuts and dried fruit and ate that whilst Anakin and Obi-Wan ate some travel rations.

Ren stretched a bit and so did Rik and then after a while, Ren said “ok let’s do this, if we get it done quickly enough, we can be back in our ship enjoying banana cake and Brandy and off Korriban before nightfall! And playing chess!”

Rik laughed and stood up and shouldered his pack again and checked Iselka’s wounds which were healed and said, “you heal quick Iselka”.

Iselka said, “we’re a hardy species, I feel fine Rik don’t worry, your quick actions and my meditations worked wonders”.

Rik nodded and said, “ok, let’s go”.

Ren nodded and said, “battle droid, huh?”

“At least one,” said Iselka “I know one when I see one”.

Ren nodded “ok”, and they got off the ledge and stood outside the cave chamber after a quick clamber up some rocks.

They all stood outside it for a moment taking in their surroundings, “this isn’t just a natural cave” Rik said, “it’s partially manmade…that’s odd”.

Ren nodded “my thinking too, maybe someone lived here or something, a hermit or something”.

“That wouldn’t surprise me,” said Obi-Wan “this is Korriban after all, chances are it was a hideout or something for smugglers or a Sith Hermit, as I said you find things like this all over the galaxy, it was more like a hideout for Pirates or something though”.

“Didn’t think anyone was allowed on Korriban?” said Ren “apart from the Sith”.

“There was a time that was true,” said Obi-Wan.

Ren nodded “but something changed that didn’t it?”

“Yes” said Obi-Wan.

Ren nodded “none the less this is partially manmade, maybe they were looking for artefacts or something”.

“And recent subsidence,” Rik said, “which is probably why you were able to find the artefact”.

“How do you know?” Anakin asked.

Rik pointed to a wall “you can see where it has cracked and broken, possibly a recent earthquake or something”.

“Yes,” said Ren.

Obi-Wan nodded “yes”.

“you can feel it,” said Rik following his brother.

“Wait here,” said Ren, who went into Force stealth “I’ll see what we are facing”.

“You’re a Shadow!” Obi-Wan said amazed he hadn’t expected that from the gentle seeming, quiet-spoken, Alien!

“They call us Shadow Blades,” Ren said, “and yes I have had some training in it, I just don’t use it as much as I probably should wait here” and disappeared.

Rik said, “Ren’s better at that than me, everyone underestimates him, they all think he’s too gentle or too clumsy, and he surprises everyone! Think it’s that lizard-like build”.

“He does remind me of a rather large lizard at times” Obi-Wan remarked “you get them on some planets, they can usually climb walls or something, I was sort of surprised that he couldn’t”.

“Ren’s Dragonkin,” said Rik, he indicated Kayla “it’s what her people used to look like thousands of years ago”.

“Dragons?” said Obi-Wan.

“Dragons, they are genuine in our universe,” Rik said.

“And your Padawan used to look like that?” Obi-Wan asked.

“GT are descended from Dragonkin,” said Rik “you can’t tell anymore with most of them, but yes they also used to look a bit like Ren does. I look Artean which is an Avian-Reptile race native to Crasolia as well”.

“I wondered what race you were,” said Obi-Wan.

“Corran, Ren and I are a Corran Pair, but we don’t really look like your average Corran Pair for some reason, it’s usually only one of us who looks Anthropomorphic, the other usually looks like Sera does, we kind of both came out Anthropomorphic when we got split, which suggests possibly mixed blood,” Rik said.

“Split?” Obi-Wan said.

“We were one being once as we have told you. Our people some of them have a mutation, get almost killed or killed. We split into two separate beings, thus making what is known as a ‘Corran Pair’ it leaves us bonded closer than twins, as we share a soul, Ren. I had that mutation, we weren’t born this way, we became this way.”

“So, you are really are one person split in two?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Yes, but it happened a while ago, so we have since developed into two separate individuals, we’re still bonded, but we are now also ourselves,” he said “it’s complicated, and we are not the only creatures in our universe it can happen to, ” he pulled out the gun Kaldor had insisted they bring it was a sniper rifle and sighed “glad we haven’t had to use this yet, Ren doesn’t like guns, and although I don’t mind them it is not the first thing I reach for, refer my swords, or If I need a gun, my blaster”.

Ren appeared out of the shadows, “it looks like an abandoned lab or something, there appears to be a couple of large battle Droids, and I think I know where the artefact is, but there appears to be something of a problem”.

“Pardon,” Anakin asked.

“There appears to be some type of statue, holding it,” Ren said.

“Statue?” Anakin asked.

“It’s on the floor and appears to be in good condition, but we have to get through the two battle droids first…I tried the control panel, but it appears to be corrupted”.

“How do you know their battle droids?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Big guns and armour…I know a Battle Droid when I see one,” said Ren “we have them in our own universe, and the T’ron use some sort of Golem, and the Scorpionoids use walkers”.

“Oh, I wasn’t sure if you would recognise one,” said Obi-Wan.

Rik sighed “stop trying to protect us Master Kenobi! Aliens to your universe we might be, but we aren’t entirely without knowledge! Ren, and I have been on the front line!” he looked at Ren “do we need Grenades or something to get through their armour?”

Ren looked thoughtful “did you bring any?”

Rik nodded and pulled out two “yep, Kaldor made sure I did”.

Ren nodded “trust Kaldor!”

“Armour penetrating ones too,” said Rik.

Ren nodded “they might soften them a bit, want me to stealth and take them with me?”

Rik nodded” yep. Did they detect you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” said Ren.

“Good,” said Rik “we’ll come through when we hear the blasts go off”.

Ren nodded “wish me luck”.

Anakin said, “you're sending Ren in?”

Ren said, “I am a Jedaini Shadow Blade Anakin! They can’t detect me”.

“But you seem so…” Anakin said.

“Soft?” Ren asked, his eyes glowing a soft blue.

“Well,” said Anakin.

Ren looked thoughtful and then said, “do not underestimate me”, and without another word, he stealthed again and disappeared inside.

Rik said, “yeah don’t, Ren is a lot tougher than he looks”.

“Do you want me to go in after him?” Iselka asked, “I can shield too”.

Rik said “no, wait a bit” holding up a taloned hand and pulled out his swords readying them.

Iselka nodded and pulled out her own weapon which was an Electroblade or something similar although they had been teaching her how to use a Lightsword which she thought was an elegant and noble weapon, she also had the nasty whiplike weapon that many of the T’ron favoured which she had started to teach them how to use. 

However, Ren didn’t really like them, he preferred his swords and his Powerstaff.

“Steady Anakin,” said Obi-Wan.

“How about me?” Kayla asked.

Rik said, “you stick with Iselka and me Kayla”.

“Maybe we should leave her out here safely,” said Obi-Wan.

Rik said, “would you prefer to stay out here, Kayla?” he asked their Apprentice.

“No way!!” said Kayla “please don’t make me Master Rik!!!”

Rik nodded “I didn’t think you would want to be left out here safe, Kid,” he said.

Kayla said, “I fought with you both before!”

“I know,” said Rik, he looked at Obi-Wan “you do not shield your Apprentice, why should we?” he asked.

Obi-Wan said, “I know I don’t, but Anakin is a lot older and more experienced than yours is”.

Rik said, “Kayla has fought alongside us both before and acquitted herself well, she obeys instructions, I appreciate your concern Master Kenobi, but Kayla is our Apprentice”.

“Padawan,” said Obi-Wan.

“Whatever,” said Rik, he nodded at Iselka “stick with Iselka if you can, she will protect you”.

Kayla nodded “yes, Master Rik”.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final Battle.!  
> Rik and Ren worry Obi-Wan even more, Kayla shows that there is still a bit of street kid in her and they find the Artefact....but there is a twist!

Meanwhile, inside the abandoned Laboratory or whatever it was, Ren stealthed around behind the Battle Droids, frowning at the faint signs of life he could detect in here but couldn’t see where it was coming from, was the Droids semi-Organic? He didn’t think so, the life signs seemed like someone in stasis or something, he looked at the statue, could it be?

That was something to deal with later, but just in case he nudged the stature or whatever it was into the furthest corner and focused on their target.

Two battle Droids sat there motionless, they were in recharge mode or something, as they weren’t turned off, the Dark Side was strong here, Ren could feel it all around him and closed his eyes a moment recentering himself, he and Rik could use both sides of the Force, which he knew worried the people of this universe.

Ren opened his eyes which glowed a soft blue again, Rik’s sometimes glowed red and sometimes so did Ren’s, finding his centre again he refocused and then pulling out the grenades he aimed both at each Droid and threw them and quickly ducked out of the way with a speed and agility that seemed at odds with his form, somersaulting behind some rubble as the explosion went off.

It woke the droids up and damaged them both but didn’t destroy them. However, it knocked one over. 

Ren took advantage of that, leapt on top of the downed droid igniting his double-bladed sword, and threw some rubble at the other and chucked some force bolts at it for good measure.

Outside the room Rik called out “come on everyone! Ren’s done it”, and with a happy hiss, he ignited both his swords and ran in, aptly dodging and taking out what looked like small, mounted cannons on the walls with his own bolts.

“That worries me” Obi-Wan remarked to Anakin, following Kayla and Iselka in, Kayla took out some of the canons as well with her telekinesis, her shields flashing as she did so.

Iselka put her own shield on and followed the girl in, her own weapon flashing.

Anakin said, “I don’t feel any anger, Master…”.

“Nor I and that’s what worries me,” said Obi-Wan.

Anakin said “just power, and excitement” as he and his Master ignited their lightsabres.

Ren looked up and said, “took your time Rik!” but he was clearly teasing.

“Meh, you were too slow,” said Rik.

“Slow! You’re the slow one!” said Ren, who was holding a double-bladed blue lightsabre, which both Obi-Wan and Anakin both noticed now.

It was a blade like theirs, but obviously customised, silvery ghostly runes ran down the middle of both blades.

Rik’s were red, also obviously customised with black runes down the middle. Kayla’s was pink with golden runes, blue and silver lightning ran down both sides of Ren’s, and Ren’s hands were surrounded in it.

Rik paused and cast some of his own at one of the mounted cannons and then took on the other Battle-Droid deftly avoiding its cannon, which seemed to be the only one working, both battle droids were clearly damaged.

“When will I be able to do that?” Kayla asked her Master.

“Not for a while yet Kayla,” said Ren ‘it is tricky, and it takes some control as Rik, and I found out long ago on that lonely beach! “and spun around and took out one of the cannons himself, and they could all see how he used his lizard-like build to fight and ducked out of the way and indicated the statue “check that…I don’t think it’s entirely a statue…I am detecting faint life signs from it, don’t touch it or the cube on it until one of us looks at it”.

Kayla said, “you think it is someone in stasis?”

“Possibly,” said Ren “and their waking up, something has triggered it…probably our presence”.

Kayla nodded “ok Master Ren”.

Ren nodded and turned back to fighting the droids which they were all on now.

Ren stood back and threw the more damaged droid up against the wall and started to hit with a storm of electricity and force, focusing it through his sword and then lifted it and whirled it around surrounding it by a wall of power and then threw it hard against the far wall where it blew up and dropped to the ground lifeless.

Nodding, he turned his attention to the other shielding them all with a wall of power and surrounding them all with healing light.

“Definitely, Grey” Obi-Wan remarked to himself.

Iselka took out the final mounted war cannon, she was surrounded in a what looked a barrier, or some sort made from black and red smoke.

She then cast some flame of her own, which was black and red, Rik and Ren were used to seeing her do that, but it worried both Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Rik and Ren were Grey, but Iselka seemed borderline Sith, Kayla still young, and learning glowed brightly.

“Wow!” Kayla said.

Iselka said “I’m a Void Sister, and of the Black Flame, my power it reflects the darkness of the Void” and went to join the young girl “Ren is right faint life signs is coming from it”,

“It is someone in stasis,” said Kayla “and could you teach me that?”

Iselka chuckled “I don’t think so, as I said, you would have been of the White Flame, not the Black, had you been T’ron”.

“That was really cool!” said Kayla.

Iselka said, “you have power young one, but it is not my duty to teach you how to use it, that is Master Ren’s and Master Rik’s”.

Kayla said, “I guess not, but it was still cool…”.

Iselka laughed and said, “I don’t think Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker agree with that”.

“Meh,” said Kayla.

Iselka chuckled and said, “we are similar but not the same”.

Kayla said, “I’m glad you decided to join us though Lady Iselka”.

Iselka nodded “it is my brothers wish that I did so, and I do not regret it”.

Kayla nodded and looked at the statue and saw that it was more of a casket “I think Master Ren is right it’s a stasis pod or something” just as Rik with a happy hiss threw the final robot up against the wall, and it blew up.

He and Ren high foured each other glowing a little and the two Jedi joined them, looking with some concern at the two downed Droids.

Ren leaned over them and checked them for intel but found none and Rik kicked one.

“Calm yourself, Rik,” Ren said, as Rik’s eyes were glowing reddish now and his feathers were all fluffed up.

“Yeah sorry, Ren… it’s just adrenalin” he said.

“We are also on Korriban, and you are more affected by darkness than I am,” said Ren.

Rik nodded, sat down, closed his eyes, and used his calming techniques to calm his Adrenalin and battle excitement.

Ren nodded and said, “take your time” and went to join Iselka and Kayla.

“I think your right,” said Kayla “there is someone inside it”.

Ren nodded “yes” and bent down, looked at the glowing cube, did something, and then carefully picked up the glowing cube the statue appeared to be holding and held it up “is this what you are looking for?” he asked Obi-Wan and Anakin.

Anakin looked up from where he was working on the old panel and said: “I can get some of this data…do you think it might be useful master?”

Obi-Wan nodded and threw him a data holder and said: “see if you can, Anakin”.

“Very well,” said Anakin.

Ren nodded to Anakin “watch him, Master Kenobi”.

Obi-Wan nodded “the Council said the same thing, you see that too?”

Ren nodded “yes”.

Obi-Wan said, “it’s why they weren’t going to let us train him”.

Ren nodded “that is where we differ again…we would still train him regardless, Darkness is not Evil if tampered right, sometimes a little Darkness can make you see and understand things others can’t and go where others cannot”.

Obi-Wan said, “I know…”.

Ren said, “we are not Sith Master Kenobi but nor are we Jedi, our philosophy is different to yours”.

Obi-Wan nodded “the Council are a little concerned about you too”.

Ren said, “we mean you no harm we just do not belong here”.

Obi-Wan looked at the artefact that Ren had handed him and said “this is it. It looks like a Holocrom of some sort. Although like none I recognise.”

Ren nodded “I don’t think this is of your universe, when I picked it up, I got some strange visions which I will explain when we get out of here”.

Obi-Wan looked at the casket “that’s not a statue, it is someone frozen in Carbonite, and I think they are waking up”.

“Carbonite?”

“It’s what we use to put someone in stasis,” said Obi-Wan “I wonder how long they have been here…you could probably get them out of it on your ship if we move quickly, they might know more about the artefact seeing they were holding it, although it is worrying, as far as we knew Korriban has been deserted for centuries!”

Ren said, “maybe it wasn’t so deserted after all”.

“That is what is worrying…we should report this to the Council,” he said, he bent down and looked around the casket and nodded and flicked a switch “we can take the casket back with us using this…I wouldn’t advise we try and revive them here, Hibernation sickness can be deadly, and they will need medical attention, do you have some sort of fast transport to your ship?”

Ren nodded “we have a portal device; all we have to do is let Sera know”.

Obi-Wan nodded “call her then, we’re done what we needed to do here”.

Ren nodded “you sure?”

“yes, we should get off Korriban as soon as we can,” said Obi-Wan.

“Ok,” said Ren.

Anakin came over with the data and looked at the casket “there is someone frozen in Carbonite here?” he asked.

“Looks that way,” said Ren, “their alive but we need to revive them as soon as we can”.

“Why would they be here on a dead planet?” Anakin asked.

“That is what we need to find out,” said Obi-Wan.

“What if their Sith?” Anakin asked.

“I am not getting that impression from them,” said Obi-Wan “more than likely it is more like some poor scoundrel who got in the way of someone they shouldn’t have…although why they were here in a deserted laboratory on Korriban and why they had the Artefact we were looking for is indeed a mystery”.

Ren looked up from where he was holding a device in his hand “if you need to do anything else, I suggest you do it now as the Serendipity is on her way and there very soon will be a transport portal”.

“No, we are done here,” said Obi-Wan taking the data off Anakin “let’s get off Korriban!”

“Shame I would have like to explore those ruins a bit more, I have an interest in such things,” Ren remarked “but you are probably right” as a light appeared and what looked like some sort of portal appeared which they all went into and very soon were gone leaving Korriban to its dust and ancient secrets.


	20. The Serendipity.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As I said there is one final twist regarding the artefact!  
> Rik revives the person found on Korriban and he reveals to them that the artefact does not belong in this universe...which poses a problem for them all.

Once back on board, their ship and off Korriban Ren said the Sera “set course back to Coruscant, the fastest we can go”.

“Still take us a few days to get back” Sera replied.

“That’s fine,” said Ren.

Sera appeared and looked Ren up and down “you look exhausted!” she remarked.

Ren nodded “I need a shower and to meditate for a bit, but that can wait for a little, someone’s life is important at the moment”.

“Who,” Sera asked, concerned.

“We found someone on Korriban in suspended animation, but they were waking up, so we need to revive them fully and check them over”.

Sera nodded “you did?”

“Yes, they were holding the artefact we were after, so we need to ask them a few questions in case they know about it,” he asked, he looked out of the window, “that was one haunted planet!”

“I’ve been too worse” Sera remarked.

“No doubt you have,” said Ren, they didn’t know how old the Serendipity was, they had never really asked, she was of the near now unknown class of ship called a Sunrise, one of the ships that had been made by the Jedaini order centuries ago, so Ren figured she was around six hundred or so years old, they weren’t technically a warship, but they were lightly armoured. 

They could be used in a battle as support if needed. 

They were used for troop transport and carrying supplies, sometimes refuelling, and classed as a Freighter Hybrid. 

Rik and Ren both loved the beautiful ship, and it’s incredible AI, even though it had cost them both a lot, but both brothers thought it worth it, they also had a fantastic crew! And Ren wondered if they were going to get another, that would put them at absolute max, the Sunrise could crew Nine and carry two passengers, Rik, Ren, Kimmy, Kayla, Kaldor, River, Iselka and Tee currently made up the living component of the crew, they could afford one more. 

Then there was Sera who was the ship’s AI and the four Droids, who although part of the crew was not counted towards the living component of it.

“Ren the person who was in carbonite has been revived” came Rik’s voice over the speaker “he’s all right a bit dazed and sick and is suffering from what Master Kenobi says is a mild case of Hibernation sickness, but I don’t think he is from this universe either”.

“He?” Ren asked.

“Yes,” said Rik, “he says his name is Donas, but can’t seem to remember much more, although he says he knows what the artefact is or at least think he does”.

“ok, I’ll be right up”.

Rik said, “he’s not carrying anything contagious or anything and seems to be in good condition other than the Hibernation sickness It’ll pass in about 48 hours or so”.

“On my way,” said Ren.

Ren went to the medical bay on the Serendipity.

It was small but functional had two beds, and a med tank, Rik met him at the door and said: “he seems fine”.

Ren looked in and saw their patient, a man in his thirties with long light brown hair, a small beard and prominent ears who was wearing coat, shirt, and trousers “he looks human” said Ren.

Rik nodded “perfectly, I thought he was at first, but I got these readings” he showed Ren his Datapad.

“Corran?” said Ren.

“Perhaps,” said Rik “or Dorenganza, we do share a common ancestor”.

“Elder race then. Like us”

"Yes" said Rik, “he says that his name is Donas and that he is a Scientist, he’s a little dazed but seems otherwise ok, although he seems to be suffering some blindness although his eyes seem fine, Master Kenobi says that that’s a common aftereffect of been frozen in Carbonite and that it should pass”.

“Ok,” said Ren “thanks for reviving him”.

Rik shrugged “not the only person I’d had to revive from suspended animation”.

Ren nodded, people tended to forget that Rik was also a Healer and a Doctor. However, Rik described himself as more of a Combat Medic. 

He often said that it was him you took out on patrol and that it was Ren who patched everyone up when you got back or ran the Triage.

However, Rik had also done plenty of time on Triage as well.

Ren nodded and went into the medical bay, followed by Rik, the patient as if sensing him there said: “I can’t see” ...

Rik said, “you are suffering what is known as Hibernation Sickness, it should pass very soon”.

“Where am I,” the Patient asked.

“You’re on our ship called the Serendipity” Ren said, “We rescued you off Korriban, you had been frozen in something called Carbonite, I’m Dr Ren Starfire, the Captain of the ship, how are you feeling?”

“You also have a Sarisian accent,” said the patient, proving that Rik's theory was right.

“yes, I’m from Saris 4,” said Ren “I’m a Consular in the Jedaini Order, and this is our ship, the Serendipity”.

The patient said “I knew someone in the Jedaini Order, long ago, I’m Donas, I was a scientist who was part of a survey team. I can’t really remember much, my memory is all blurred, what I do know is that I ended up in the middle of a firefight, I was holding the device when it suddenly opened a portal when we were attacked perhaps to protect itself, I am lucky I had protection,” he indicated a device he was wearing “Seeing I was holding the artefact it pulled me in after it”.

“You were holding an artefact that is how we found you,” Obi-Wan said, “do you know what it is?”

Donas said “it’s a base for a key, it’s ancient! my team and I were on a planet, and we found it, we were attacked and as I said I was holding the artefact to put it away and it pulled me into its portal. I ended up somewhere else in the middle of a firefight, something shot me. I dove for cover and I don’t remember anything after that until you revived me, I don’t know exactly how long I was like that…but it feels like it has been a while, why can’t I see?”

“it’s an aftereffect of the Carbonite, you have what is known as Carbon poisoning, or Hibernation sickness,” Obi-Wan said, “it should pass, you seem in pretty good health”.

Donas said, “I can’t remember anything”.

“Where were you?” Ren asked.

“You know I can’t remember?"he said “can something be done about my eyes?”

Ren said, “I will see”.

“We should just let it pass,” said Obi-Wan.

Ren went to Donas and said, “ this may feel a little strange” and gently touched the side of the patients head “ relax I might be able to fix your eyes, or at least boost the healing a bit”.

He nodded and did so, and suddenly Ren got assailed with visions that made him somewhat reel.

“Whoa!” said Ren “your Telepathic!”

“Err sorry should have warned you about that” Donas said, “ my minds a bit scrambled at the moment".

“Your Elder race,” said Ren.

“Yeah I suppose you could also say that…seems like you are too” he remmarked.

“I’m Corran,” said Ren.

“I think I am too” he said.

“Possibly,” said Ren “ or Dorenganza”.

He nodded and said, “I heard of the Corran”.

Ren nodded “ not many people have…to many we are legends”.

“Same goes for my people,” Donas said as Ren withdrew his hands and he shook his head and said “thanks I can see again! It’s a little blurry, but I can see again. what do I look like?"

"you don't know what you you look like?" Ren asked

"No I've forgotten" he said

“His mind is probably still muddled from the Hibernation sickness,” Obi-Wan said.

Ren nodded and pulled the surgical mirror down and let Donas look at his reflection.

“Not too bad, not too sure about the beard though” Donas remmarked .

Ren chuckled and indicated his own somewhat visible pointed ears and shrugged and said, “you could always shave off the beard”.

“No, I might keep it, takes away the attention from my ears,” he said, “might tidy it up a bit though, you got a shower unit or something?”

Ren said, “out the sickbay and to the left, you can’t miss it, it has a sign on the door that says Bathroom, it’s communal though so make sure you knock before you enter, we’re a small ship, so we all use the Bathroom, but are you sure you're feeling up to it?”

He nodded “yes I feel a bit unsteady, but I should be ok” he looked at Ren “what race are you? You look a bit like a Dragonborn”.

Ren said, “Rik and I are a Corran pair, but we aren’t typical of one, I look Dragonborn, and Rik looks Artean, I think you are from our universe seeing you recognised my accent as Sarisian”.

“I don’t think this is mine either,” he said.

“It is not ours either…” said Ren, “you say the artefact is a key?”

He nodded “ a Dimensional Key, I think it has been scattered across universes, we found it, and I was the only one who recognised what it was, the fact that I ended up here suggests that maybe a couple of the parts are scattered here, and it may be our only way to get home”.

Ren looked thoughtful “I got that impression too”.

Donas nodded “ I believe that”.

Obi-Wan said, “we need to take it back to Coruscant”.

“Very well, but I don’t think it belongs in this universe,” said Ren.

“You said that before,” Obi-Wan said, “you also said you would explain why you came to that conclusion, it is still showing up as possibly a Sith Artefact, but you say it is not”.

Ren said, “it is not, walk with me Master Kenobi and I will explain”.

Obi-Wan joined Ren looking around for Anakin “where’s Anakin?”

“Flying the ship,” Ren said with a chuckle “with Rik’s help! He loves to fly as much as Rik and I do”.

Obi-Wan said “I know he does” as they walked back onto the Flight Deck, Anakin was in the Co-Pilot's seat, and Rik was currently flying the ship, he and Ren could both fly the Serendipity.

Rik said, “sorry, Ren, do you want to take over?”

“No, you are fine,” said Ren sitting in one of the chairs near the back wall of the Flight deck and Obi-Wan sat next to him.

“Well,” he said.

Ren said, “ the Artefact is not of your universe but from ours, you just assumed it was a Sith Artefact because it was in Sith Space, but it is not, and it has been there for quite some time”.

“How long?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I don’t know…perhaps a century or so, but recent earthquakes or something uncovered it, and that is why you picked it up, which probably means poor Donas was encased in Carbonite for about a century as well, but it is not of your universe it is from ours, and as he says it is the base to a Dimensional Key, it may be our only way to get home,” Ren said.

“But,” said Obi-Wan.

Ren said, “ take it to the Council on Coruscant, but it is our only way to get home…we have to find the rest of the pieces as it is broken. As Donas said seeing he ended up here, some of the pieces may be here”.

“But how is that possible?” Obi-Wan asked, “ Multi-Dimensional travel is a theory but not a possibility here”.

Ren said “it isn’t so where we come from…there are several races in our own universe who have achieved it or who are on the verge of doing so, Corran, Gorta-Trellian, The Dorenganza, T’ron, the Scorpionoids, even the humans have achieved it somewhat limited that it is” he paused “ another reason why we don’t belong here and nor does that artefact. It should be left in Rik, and I’s safekeeping and not handed over to the Council!” the steely tone in Ren’s voice made Obi-Wan look at him.

“Ren’s right Master Kenobi,” said Rik “it does not belong here and nor do we, it is not of this universe!”

Obi-Wan said, “I did promise to bring it back”.

“Then do so, but we are going with you,” said Ren “ to explain the circumstances it is not yours to keep but nor really is it ours, but it may be the only way we can get home, so it should be left in our safekeeping and we find the missing pieces and take it back to where it belongs”.

“Which is where?”

“Where it was possibly found,” said Ren, “it does not belong in this universe!” he sounded almost angry ‘you know that as well I do Master Kenobi!”.

“Whoa Ren!” said Rik “calm down!”

“It is possibly of the Void,” Iselka said joining them.

Ren nodded “that is what I am thinking Flameseeker”.

Iselka nodded “ I have heard of such things”.

Ren nodded “we all have,” he rubbed his temples “I need to meditate, how’s Kayla?”

Iselka said, “she’s fine, she’s asleep in her quarters.”

“good,” said Ren “Korriban affected us all, I’ll help her with a cleansing later, she probably needs to sleep, how are you Iselka?”

“I will be alright,” said Iselka “I have been exposed to the Void Master Ren I have seen much worse”, and without another word, she left the Flight Deck.

Obi-Wan said, “ I don’t really trust her”.

Ren said, “ do you simply not trust her or is it simply because you do not understand her?”

Obi-Wan said, “I don’t trust her”.

Ren nodded “ understood, I do, however. Iselka is T’ron and is technically the enemy, but, she is of a faction who believe that we should be allies, not enemies, her brother Praetor Tarn is as I said an honourable and noble man, who we consider a friend, he sees Iselka as a Beacon of Hope, which is another reason we have to get back to our own universe”.

“But what is she?” Obi-Wan asked.

“She belongs to an Order of T’ron Mystics who are known as The Sisterhood of the Void, they are sensitive and there are two factions The White Flame who are the Healers and Historians and The Black Flame who are the Warriors, Iselka is of The Black Flame, she is not evil she is more like we are, the woman of the T’ron tend to be more psionically sensitive, but that does not mean the men aren’t, her Brother Praetor Tarn is something called a Nightbrother”.

Obi-Wan said, “I still don’t trust her”.

Ren laughed “ nor does Kaldor! but right now I need a shower and a long Meditation session!” he looked at Rik “wouldn’t hurt you too Rik”.

Rik nodded “ don’t worry, I will, was just getting us away from that place! What a spooky place!!!”.

Ren nodded “ make sure you do, you are more prone to darkness than I am, and here that seems to mean something!”

Rik nodded “ believe me I will!” he said, “I feel tainted myself!!!” he pushed a couple of buttons “Sera take over for me in a little while will you and help Anakin fly the ship although I am betting you two also need to meditate a little as well”.

“Mystics!!!” Kaldor scowled as he walked into the Flight Deck “did those grenades help”.

“They sure did,” said Rik.

“Who’s the guy in sickbay” Kaldor asked.

“Someone we rescued off Korriban,” said Rik “ say do you think you could take over from me for a little while Kaldor?”

Kaldor said, “you mean, I get to fly for a while?”

“You or Tee if you want,” said Rik as Tee joined them “your been getting the training and I am sure Sera will help you, seeing neither of you is really Psionic, not that you really need to be if Co-Piloting”.

Tee shook his head “ I’m not confident enough at the moment” he said, “I was running some routine checks”.

“Ok,” said Rik.

Obi-wan still didn’t know what to make of Rik and Ren’s largely alien crew. He was used to working alongside aliens, but humans generally always outnumbered most aliens in the Republic, but, on Rik and Ren’s ship, the aliens outnumbered the humans! Including the brothers themselves!

Kaldor said, “me neither”.

“Ok, then I’ll get Sera to pilot then because no doubt young Anakin here also needs to rest and recuperate,” Rik said.

“I’m fine!” said Anakin.

Rik said, “ very well, but don’t overdo it mate” and got up “I really need to go meditate!!!” making them all realise that Rik really was a Jedaini Knight as well “I’ll go check on our patient and then retire to my quarters for a bit to meditate or the meditation chamber”.

“I still reckon that’s a waste of space,” Kaldor said.

“Doesn’t stop you from using it though “ Rik shot back with a smile and walked off the Flight Deck heading to the sickbay and then his room.

The only two left on the Flight Deck were Anakin and Obi-Wan.

For a moment Master and Padawan watched as Korriban retreated into the distance as the ship took them away from it for a moment they both said nothing.

Then Anakin asked, “ Master, what are we going to do about the artefact when we get back to Coruscant?”

Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead and said “ I really don’t know Anakin, I promised the Council that we would bring it back, but it seems that Korriban was not as deserted as we thought it was, we need to report that. But as to the Artefact, I really don’t know”.

Anakin said, “ what did they say it was? A Key of some sort”.

“A Multi-Dimensional Key,” said a new voice and they both looked up and saw that it was Donas who although looked still a little pale seemed alright, he had trimmed his beard somewhat and looked much better.

“Who are you?” Anakin asked.

“This is Donas he was the person frozen in Carbonite” Obi-Wan replied, “ should you even be out of bed?”

Donas said “I feel alright if a little confused and muddled at the moment, I’ll be fine in a day or so” he paused, they assumed he meant the freezing in Carbonite, and then been revived “so that is where you found me?”

“It’s called Korriban,” said Obi-Wan, “we thought that it was deserted, what did you see?”

“You know what I can’t really remember at the moment, I ended up during a firefight though, something shot me, and I dove for cover, and that’s all I can remember at the moment but are you saying that I was still holding the artefact?”

“Yes” said Obi-Wan.

He looked thoughtful “I wonder if I am attuned to it then? If so it might help us find the rest of the pieces”.

Anakin asked, “but what is it?”

“It’s a Multi-Dimensional Key but’s it’s broken,” he said.

“And it does what?” said Anakin.

“Who knows,” said Donas “Multi-Dimensional keys can unlock anything, from ancient knowledge to a weapon, but none the less they are always treated with caution”.

“But you must have been looking for it for something,” said Obi-Wan.

“I can’t remember why at the moment,” he said, “my heads all muddled, but I have to say this I agree with the brothers you can’t let your Council hold onto it, it is not of this universe and maybe our only way to get home”.

“This whole talk of parallel universes also has got me confused,” Obi-Wan said, “ it is a theory, but we have never been able to prove it, and yet you all say you aren’t from this universe but from another”.

“Think of it this way, picture your home universe but also picture this, that your home universe is only one of many Parallel ones, where something has turned out different, but the only way to travel between these Parallel universes is by devices such as the Key, picture these universes as side by side all unique, all different, but each a universe in its own right, all not aware of each other”.

“But to do that you would have to transcend Space!” said Anakin. 

Donas said “think about it, which is why that base has to be given to Rik and Ren and me, because we do not belong in this universe and nor does it! our people they have always been Guardians of such things”.

Anakin said, “but your human aren’t you?”

“I look human, but I am not,” said Donas.

“Your not?” said Anakin.

“No,” he said, “I am like Rik and Ren ”.

“Your Corran as well aren’t you,” Obi-Wan asked.

Donas said “take it to your Council, but it cannot remain with them and let us explain the situation” he paused and then continued “you have enough problems headed your way soon, without this as well” and then turned and left the Flight deck.

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other, and Anakin said: “ what have we gotten ourselves involved in Master?”

“I really don’t know Anakin,” said Obi-Wan “I cannot see, the Force it is unclear, we shall have to await Guidance from the Force”.

Anakin said, “I’m not sure if we can when it involves these aliens”.

“Trust in the Force,” said Obi-Wan “it has never led me astray,” he looked out of the window at the starfield “let's go home”.


	21. A week later- The Jedi Temple- Coruscant.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter folks!
> 
> The Crew present their case to the Jedi Council.
> 
> Thanks for reading! and thanks to skekMal for giving me the idea to try and write this!!!
> 
> And Star Wars of course belongs to it's respective owners this was just a fanfic I wrote.

“I still don’t feel comfortable about this” Obi-Wan remmarked to Rik and Ren and Donas as they waited to be met by the Jedi High Council.

“Don’t feel comfortable about what?” Ren asked.

“About this whole thing, and lying to the Council, Jedi do not lie,” said Obi-Wan.

“No, but they do hide the truth sometimes,” said Ren “what is making you so uncomfortable?”.

“Not telling them where we found Donas,” said Obi-Wan.

Ren said “ they have not met our crew so it will be easy to pass him off as a member of our crew if you mentioned that we found him on Korriban. They would not listen to him, believing him to be brainwashed by the Sith or something. If he comes in with us, they will just think he is one of our crew”.

Donas said, “I am, aren’t I?”

Ren said, “ seems that way, especially seeing you are from the same universe as we are” he had gotten friendly with the rescued Scientist over the last few days.

“you don’t like having to tell the Council that you cannot hand the artefact over to them,” said Donas then.

“Why can’t we?” asked Obi-Wan.

“Because it doesn’t belong in this universe,” said Donas “ it would be better left with us, seeing it is from our universe and maybe the only way we can get home without causing too much on an impact on your Universe”.

“But should you have it too?” Obi-Wan asked.

Donas said, “ probably not, but it is not from here and nor are we”.

Obi-Wan said “ they aren’t going to like this” as they were led in.

Just about all of the Council were there and those that weren’t were holographic, they all bowed, and Obi-Wan said “ Masters”.

“Wow,” said Kayla, getting a look from her Master.

“Err sorry Master Ren,” she said.

“A little more respect and decorum Kayla,” said Ren softly.

Even Rik, usually restless, was subdued and stood with his head down.

Anakin and Obi-wan went forward, and Obi-Wan said: “ We have returned Masters with the requested object”.

“Kind of reminds me of Saris,” said Donas almost to himself.

It was Master Windu who spoke “you have the requested object? Master Kenobi?”

“Yes I do, we have retrieved it, “ said Obi-Wan presenting the box they had put it in “it was indeed on Korriban, but there is a problem, we cannot hand it over to the Council according to Masters Ren and Rik, they are asking if they can keep it”.

There was a soft murmur around the chamber, and then Yoda spoke: “ Explain”.

“It is not what we thought it was,” said Obi-Wan, “it is indeed an artefact, but it is not Sith, nor Jedi”.

“Go on,” Mace Windu said.

“It is from our universe,” said Ren then, “It is not from yours but from ours, which is why I am asking that you release it into our safekeeping”.

“Your safekeeping?” Mace Windu asked.

Ren nodded “ yes, it is not of your universe but of mine”.

“If it is that powerful would it not be safer left in the vaults of the Temple” one of the other masters asked.

“You do not even know what it does,” said Ren then.

“What does it do?” Mace Windu asked.

“I will get our Science Advisor, Donas, to explain,” said Ren.

Donas stepped forward “what do you know about Multi-Dimensional Travel?” he asked.

“Multidimensional Travel ?” Mace Windu asked “ it is a theory but isn’t possible. It is the same with Time…which is why it is surprising that Captains Rik and Ren claim that they come from one”.

“As I thought,” said Donas “but what if both were possible?”

“Possible?” another Master asked.

“yes, what if I were to tell you that where we come from, It is more than just a theory and that is why the artefact has to be released back into our custody because it does not belong here and nor do we”.

Mace Windu spoke again “ are you saying that Multi-Dimensional travel is possible where you come from and that the artefact is something to do with that?”

“Theory, interesting indeed,” Yoda said softly.

“Yes,” said Donas “it is a Multi-Dimensional Key, and it is the only way we can get home, but it is broken, and we need to find the pieces”.

“And you think that these pieces are here?” he was asked.

“It was, so I am assuming that some of them are at least,” said Donas, he indicated the box “the artefact has fallen somehow through space and ended up here”.

“And you think you can find them?” Mace Windu asked.

Donas nodded “ my people, Mine and Rikren’s are Guardians of such things in our own universe, we have an attunement I guess you could say and we must find the pieces, put it together and then leave before we cause any more impact on your universe”.

Yoda spoke then ‘the same race you are?”

“Yes,” Donas said “Rikren are split into two beings I am of the same race but am not split. And we have long been the Guardians of our universe and of Time”.

“Who be the Corran?” Yoda asked again.

“We are not native to your universe, but we are one of the Elder races of ours,” Donas said, “ and it has long been our duty to Guard over the Universe, and it’s peoples, and I must ask you whether we could have the artefact back?”

“What will you do with it?” Mace Windu asked, “ and would it not be safer in our safekeeping in the Temple if it is so dangerous”.

Donas said, “ it is not dangerous as it currently is, but we need it back. I am sorry, we need to have it on our ship to find the other pieces”.

“And you are?” the other Master asked.

“ My name is Donas, I’m the Scientific Advisor on Rik and Ren’s ship” he replied.

“You’re a Scientist?” Mace Windu asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Do you believe the artefact is a threat?”.

“No if it is in the right hands, it does not belong here and will be safe on our ship,” he said, “so I ask you whether we could have it back?”

Mace Windu asked, “ Master Kenobi, what is your opinion?”

Obi-Wan said “ mine?” and then he continued “ they seem pretty intent on keeping it Masters, the Artefact is not Sith and it is not Jedi nor of anyone else in this universe". 

There was a soft murmur, and then Master Yoda said: “ discuss this we will”.

“Thank you, Masters, we await your wisdom,” said Obi-Wan and led them out and then went back in leaving them with just Anakin.

Once outside the Chambers Rik groaned “ oh for heaven’s sake can’t they just let us keep it! it is not Sith, and it is not Jedi!”

Ren chuckled at his impatience “I am surprised that you stopped yourself from pacing!”

Rik sighed “it was hard work not to!!!”

Donas looked out of the window and said, “this place reminds me of Saris 4, is the whole planet a huge city?”

“Yes it is,” said Ren “Saris 4 is similar but not the whole planet”.

“This is Coruscant the heart of the Republic and has been for thousands of years,” Anakin added helpfully, slightly put out that he had been left outside again!

Donas said, “ all I can see is buildings!!! ,it does kind of remind me of home”.

“Where is your home?” Anakin asked.

Donas looked thoughtful and then said, “ Saris 4 and Earth more recently”.

“You all speak of this ‘Saris 4’ “ Anakin said.

“It’s a Moon it looks a little like Coruscant but not the whole planet,” said Ren “Saris Prime is a huge gas giant, so we all live on the moons”.

“And Earth…what is that?”

“It’s another planet ” said Donas “I’ve lived there for a few years”.

“You’re really not human, are you?” Anakin remmarked.

“No, I’m not,” he said.

“What are you then?” Anakin continued “ the same race as Rik and Ren?”

“Yes” he said and wandered out onto one of the balconies.

“Only not split,” said Ren.

Donas looked over the balcony “ how far down does it go?”

“A long way down,” said Anakin joining him “there are several different levels, and some are fully automated”.

Donas said “this world is ancient! You can sense it, this your home planet?”

“It is now,” said Anakin “but I am originally from Tatooine”.

Donas nodded “ I ended up here with no idea where I ended up and then ended up frozen I think for about a century or more, so I seriously have no idea where I have ended up!”

“How you end up on Korriban anyway?” Anakin asked.

“As I said I took the artefact, we were attacked, and it defended itself and pulled me through a portal with it, I ended up in the middle of a firefight, and the next thing I knew was waking up on your ship”.

“What attacked you,” Ren asked. 

“The planet we were on had some automated defences I think, and we triggered them off” he paused.

“You were looking for the artefact?” Anakin asked.

“No we were looking for artefacts of any kind, the planet it had been dead a long time, and we wanted to know who it was, I was part of a survey team” he looked thoughtful as he tried to remember.

“You’re an Archaeologist!” said Ren.

He nodded “yes, I took the advice of a friend I made long ago “.

“So you have no idea how you ended up on the Planet of the Sith Lords,” Obi-Wan asked re-joining them “ the Council are still deciding” he informed them.

“No,” Donas said, “it’s just where I ended up and who is the Sith anyway?”

“The Opposite to the Jedi, their long been our enemies and we thought them extinct…but recent events have made us rethink that,” Obi-Wan asked.

He nodded “ I’m thinking your kind of like the Adepts,” he said indicating Ren “I had a friend long ago who was of the Adept Order.”

“Do you remember his name?” Ren asked.

Donas looked thoughtful “ not at the moment, it was long ago I think I’ve lost some of my memory from been frozen”.

“You possibly have,” said Obi-Wan.

He nodded “yes” he looked out over the city from the balcony “it’s been a long time”.

“You seem sad,” said Anakin.

Donas shrugged “I’m not sad, just feeling a bit lonely and a bit overwhelmed by it all I think I was in Suspended animation for a century or more, I feel it”, he looked out over the city again “this is pretty amazing! You could live here all of your life and never fully explore it. It would take many lifetimes!”

“We’ve had a 1000 years peace, “ Obi-Wan said.

“That’s a pretty good record,” said Donas, he nodded at the City, “I think one of the pieces have ended up here, you have to get the Council to give it back”.

Anakin said, “ how do you know?”

“Getting stuck with it, I think has kind of attuned me to it, I can feel it,” he said.

“It’s bonded with you?” Anakin asked.

Donas said, “ not so much ‘bonded’ but it seems to have attuned me to it, another reason why you have to get it back, I think it is kind of like those swords you all carry”.

“it’s sentient?”

“Not really, but I was frozen with it for over a hundred years, so it’s sort of got me attuned to it, another piece has ended up here somewhere, I could probably work out where on Ren’s ship but we need it back,” he said.

Obi-Wan said, “ it registered as a possible Sith Artefact which is why we were sent to retrieve it. I still don’t like the idea of you having it”.

Donas sighed “it is not from your universe there isn’t any reason why you should keep it…you do not have Multi-dimensional Travel and unlikely too, and if that got into the wrong hands it could spell disaster for your universe! All I ask is that you give it back to Rik and Ren and we will safeguard it and use it to find our way home”.

Obi-Wan said, “the Council are concerned that you insist that they give it back to you when it could possibly be so dangerous, especially seeing they don’t fully trust Rik and Ren yet”.

Ren said, “ They don’t?”

“No,” said Obi-Wan “you are strangers to this world and claim that you come from another universe and possibly another time. Your manner is also questionable”.

“Our manner is questionable!” Rik asked astounded.

“Rik!” said Ren “ they don’t understand us! That is all it is “ he sighed and continued “ we are not of your universe, nor of your code, all of us are what you would call ‘Grey Jedi’ it is who we are, but Donas is right, the artefact would be better left in our hands so please let us have it back”.

Obi-Wan said, “ I’ll try and convince them of that” and turned and walked back inside Anakin followed him, leaving the brothers, Kayla and Donas alone on the balcony.

“We could probably just steal it,” said Rik then leaning against the railing.

“Rik!” said Ren.

Kayla said, “ it is so funny to see you two disagreeing on something!”

Rik and Ren both looked at her and Ren said: “ you haven’t seen us really argue Kayla!”.

Donas said “I am guessing things start flying around then” this was said with a smile, “They are damned fools! Can’t they see that it is better with us!”

Rik said, “I still reckon we should just take it”.

Donas said, “ I really don’t know what this world is like but from what I can see, this ‘Jedi Council’ are pretty influential and vital, they are like the order you three are of, but they seem a lot more influential”.

Ren said, “they are considered the Protectors of the Republic, much like we are, but we are considered Civilians, so our influence isn’t so strong, The Jedi although they claim that they are not the rulers pretty much are”.

Donas nodded “I can relate to that”.

Rik said “yep”.

Donas unfolded his long, lanky form from where he had been leaning up against the wall and looked out over the city “ a thousand years peace, that is pretty impressive for humans! Shame it is all about to go to hell and what’s more from one of their own”.

Rik and Ren looked at him and then Ren said, “you sense that too?”

“Yes,” he said, “do you?”

Ren nodded “ I see a darkness”.

Rik said, “ me too although Ren’s always been the mystical one out of us two, I am Jedaini to “.

Donas nodded and said, “ and you know what, they don’t even realise it! and we cannot interfere”.

Ren nodded “I know we can’t”.

They all stood in silence for a long while caught up in their own thoughts, and then Obi-Wan and Anakin rejoined them, and Obi-Wan said: “the Council have decided and would like to speak to you all”.

“About time!” Rik said getting a glare from Ren, “I’ll behave” he said.

Obi-Wan said, “you are like Anakin, Rik, impatient, be wary of that”.

“Meh,” said Rik “Ren got all the patience”.

They followed them back into the Council Chambers. 

In an orderly formation in front of the Council who looked at them, all and Obi-Wan stepped forward and said, “ as requested Masters”.

Master Windu and Master Yoda were the only two left now. 

The others had all gone, and the travellers felt like they were being put under the microscope.

Master Windu spoke then looking at Ren “you claim that the artefact is not of this world?”

“No, it isn’t, “ said Donas.

Master Windu looked at Donas and said: “I was talking to Captain Ren”.

“Um…no,” said Ren “ it isn’t”.

He continued “it was showing up as belonging here”.

“Probably because it was on Korriban,” said Ren “ but our Scientific Advisor is correct, it does not belong here and could cause damage to your world if it falls into the wrong hands”.

He nodded “yes”.

Ren said “ your decision Master Windu?”

He paused and then said “it has been decided that the Artefact will be given back to you and your crew for safekeeping under the conditions that is where it stays and that you will not allow for it to fall into the wrong hands and that you keep it safeguarded. It has also been decided that although you may involve yourself in the task of finding the missing pieces, you do not involve anyone else. That noone but yourselves are allowed to touch it or view it and that you do not mention it to anyone else or get them involved in your search and that you report your findings to the Council on the matter”.

“Understood,” said Ren.

“And when you do find the missing pieces and can leave that you do so” he added, “Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker are not to assist you in your search anymore, and you are not to involve them in such ventures.”

**They really don’t like us** Rik said telepathically to his brother.

** I think they think we are halfway to been Sith** said Ren ** they don’t hate us, Rik, they just don’t trust us, hate is the pathway to the Dark Side or whatever**

** Meh** said, Rik.

** We have to tread carefully around them, from now on I guess** said Ren **seeing we’re stuck here for a while it seems**.

Master Windu continued “ you and your crew are allowed to use our resources to find the missing pieces if you need too, you only have to ask, and you are welcome to use the Temples resources with permission from one of the Council, but we have to caution you to not upset the normal routine of the Temple. Also, you will be watched if you choose to do so”.

“Understood,” said Ren “ we will not misuse your generosity and agree to the conditions you have placed on us. In return, we will offer our crew and our ship to the Republic if you need us, we still got to make a living”.

“Meaning?” Master Yoda asked.

Rik said “ we fly an armoured Freighter Master Yoda, and we have a full crew, Ren, and I are medical doctors, meaning if you need to transport people anywhere or Freight, we can do it for you. We are Free Lancers, and that is how we make a living! As Ren said you have a freighter and a crew at your disposal if you need us, we agree to your terms. However, we also still have a ship and a crew to maintain and feed. Ren and I will take payment if someone is willing to pay us to transport goods or find something for them. But, we do have high standards and will draw the line at our discretion. But we won’t say no if there is no reason for us to do so. We generally do not take bounties, but we will smuggle goods if we think it is justified. So we have to ask you not to interfere in our crew's running and ship in exchange for us agreeing to your terms. So think about it, wouldn’t you rather have us working for the Good of the Republic?”

Master Windu said, “Very well, we shall agree to your terms if you agree to ours”.

Ren nodded “ agreed,” he said, “ We shall not involve anyone of the Jedi Order into our search for the missing key pieces, and we agree to provide regular reports and as soon as we can, to leave your universe forever and never come back, in exchange for you not to interfere with our ship and crew”.

** Hmm they really don’t like us** said Rik.

** I have to agree** said Ren ** which is possibly a good thing, it means we can stay out of the war that is coming, we will help where we can but we can stay out of it**.

Master Windu then stood up and came over and handed Ren the Box which they had put the artefact in and said: “it has been decided that you are to take this back and to get it out of the Temple as soon as you can, so take this and do not ever bring it back”.

Ren bowed “ I thank you for your wisdom Master Windu, Master Yoda” and then turning he said, “and thank you for understanding “.

** Why do I feel we have just been banished from the Jedi Temple** Rik asked his brother.

** This is probably because we have** said Ren as they turned and walked out of the room. 

The last words they heard were Master Windu asking Obi-Wan and Anakin to stay behind and report what they saw on Korriban.

Donas said “ come on let's go set the key up in your ship”, and they all left the Temple in the setting sun of Coruscant.

The End


End file.
